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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24708883">Hikari Enzan</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtreyuAuryn/pseuds/AtreyuAuryn'>AtreyuAuryn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rockman | Mega Man - All Media Types, Rockman.EXE | Mega Man Battle Network</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:47:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>105,208</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24708883</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtreyuAuryn/pseuds/AtreyuAuryn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ijuuin Enzan wakes up to find the world a lot different than it was before. The navi in his PET, Rockman.EXE, claims Enzan's name is now... Hikari Enzan? With Rockman's help, Enzan has to figure out what's going on, but as the N1 Grand Prix looms, this strange new life of his is quickly becoming dangerous - and deadly.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Waking Nightmare</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey y’all, welcome to one wild ride. I wrote Hikari Enzan in 2002, based on the first season of the Rockman.EXE anime (with a sprinkling of the manga). There was no dub at the time—NT Warrior wasn’t even a fever dream—other than the game, not a whole lot was known about certain characters. Thanks to Ryouko being very gracious in helping me get it back, I’ve decided to upload it again. </p><p>Some things will be changed. Certain names that were meant to be completely innocent or clever in the anime just Don’t Work in English, and I’m no longer comfortable giving them a pass. I will note these changes as they happen. I have not watched the anime in at least fifteen years, and I’m trusting younger me to know what he was talking about canon-wise. I cannot attest to how in-character people are, because again, it’s been fifteen years. Feel perfectly free to leave any critique you’d like, I won’t mind!</p><p>While I’m removing or changing most of the unnecessary Japanese in the hopes of making things clearer, there’s some that can’t be stripped away without losing important context. One of which is the suffix sama, a form of address that is often translated as ‘lord.’ Blues.EXE often addresses Enzan as Enzan-sama, for example, and to remove would mean losing a part of their relationship dynamic. I’ll also be keeping some other common suffixes (such as san and sensei), because direct translations don’t always capture the intended meaning. I will also be keeping the practice of characters being introduced in the Japanese fashion of family name first, as this is the preferred way in most published literature. </p><p>This story takes place in the anime storyline, between the beginning of the second season and the introduction of Internet City. Gospel is still a new Net Mafia, and many have not heard of it yet. It is based, for the most part, solely on the anime, and although most of it does not require watching the anime to understand, some elements may be confusing to those who haven’t seen the anime. It also contains some spoilers for Season One.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  “Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  Enzan groaned and pulled the blanket over his head. Whoever was bothering him could wait until morning.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, it <em>is</em> morning.”</p><p>  Had he said that out loud? Enzan turned over, deciding to ignore the person, no matter what they said. His head felt strange, almost like the inside of it was encased in cotton, and his body was sore. He tried to think about what had happened to make him so sore, but his brain rebelled. For some reason, all it wanted to do was sleep, and that was fine with him.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, please wake up. You’ll be late for school.”</p><p><em>  What? </em>Against his wishes, Enzan opened his eyes. The bright red underside of his blankets filled his view. For a moment it blurred, and Enzan rubbed his eyes to clear his vision. “What are you talking about? I don’t go to school.”</p><p>  “Yes you do, Enzan-sama,” the voice said patiently. “You’ve always gone to school. Please get up.”</p><p>  That didn’t seem right. Enzan knew he had taken several tests that proved his intelligence matched those of college-level students. By proving that, he had been able to skip going to school altogether, and instead he spent his days working at his father’s company and net-battling. Even before he had taken the tests, he had always had a private tutor. Enzan wasn’t aware of actually stepping into a classroom in his lifetime.</p><p>  The clouds in Enzan’s mind slowly cleared, and he realized the voice he was hearing wasn’t the voice of Blues, his navi. “What do you mean?” he asked, sitting up. What he saw made him gasp.</p><p>  He was in a small room that he had never seen before. A set of shelves, a bedside table, and a desk filled up much of the space. Bright sunlight poured into the room from a sliding door which led to a balcony. Enzan looked at the desk, and his eyes widened. A laptop and a blue PET were sitting on the desk, but it was who was in the PET that shocked Enzan the most.</p><p>  “<em>Rockman</em>?”</p><p>  The navi looked puzzled at the boy’s tone. “Yes, Enzan-sama?”</p><p>  “What—what happened to me?” Enzan cried, looking around. “Where am I?”</p><p>  “In your room, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied. His face creased with worry. “Is something wrong?”</p><p>  “Yes!” Enzan snapped. He climbed out of the bed, his legs nearly tangling in the bed sheets as he moved. “This isn’t my room! Where’s Hikari?”</p><p>  “Hikari?” Rockman repeated.</p><p>  “Hikari, Hikari!” Enzan said impatiently. “You know, your operator.”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama…” Rockman said softly. His tone was neutral, but Enzan could see the worry in his eyes. “<em>You</em> are my operator.”</p><p>  “No!” Enzan gasped. He looked around the room wildly as if he could find Hikari Netto hiding in some corner. “What’s gotten into you? Where’s Hikari?”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, I don’t know what you mean,” Rockman said. “Are you all right? Maybe you should calm down.”</p><p>  Enzan was about to snap something else when he realized the blue navi had a point. He sat down on the bed, placed his head in his hands, and took a deep breath. The intense panic he had felt slowly subsided, and he risked a peek at his surroundings. It didn’t work. He was still in the room, Rockman watching him worriedly from the PET.</p><p><em>  Okay, let’s try this again without the blind, irrational panic,</em> Enzan thought. He removed his head from his hands and looked at Rockman. “Rockman, I need to know what’s going on here. Where am I?”</p><p>  Rockman looked relieved. Enzan’s face had slid into his usual expression, and his voice was in its normal tone. “You are in the Hikari residence, located in the town of Akihara—”</p><p>  “That’s enough for now,” Enzan interrupted. “Where is Hikari Netto?”</p><p>  Rockman looked startled for a moment. “Forgive me, Enzan-sama, but I do not know of a Hikari Netto.”</p><p>  Enzan frowned. What Rockman had said was absurd, yet the navi’s eyes betrayed no lie. “All right,” he said finally. “In that case, Rockman, tell me who I am.”</p><p>  Rockman looked slightly happier. It was hard to tell, for every time Rockman displayed a new emotion, he quickly made his face blank. Enzan got the feeling the navi was doing it on purpose, but he couldn’t figure out why. In his past encounters with the navi, Rockman had been almost as emotional as his operator, Netto.</p><p>  “You are Hikari Enzan,” Rockman said. “The only son of Hikari Yuuichirou and Hikari Haruka—”</p><p>  “Enough!” Enzan cried. He shook his head, his panic returning. “You’re wrong; you’re wrong! My name is Ijuuin Enzan!”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, please!” Rockman cried. His face was blank, but his eyes showed his fear. “I don’t know why you are saying that, but I am telling the truth! You are Hikari Enzan.”</p><p>  “How—How can that be?” Enzan whispered. He stared at his hands for a moment; then his head snapped up, his eyes blazing. “This is some kind of trick, a lie! Where’s Blues?”</p><p>  “Blues?” Rockman echoed.</p><p>  “Blues! My navi!” Enzan cried. He grabbed the PET and yanked it out of the charger. “Tell me where he is now!”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, I do not know anything about a navi called Blues,” Rockman said softly, nearly whimpering. “I am your navi, remember?”</p><p>  Enzan stared at Rockman hard. What he said seemed to have a startling effect on the blue navi. Rockman’s eyes had become obscured by dark shadows, and his head was bent forward slightly, making his eyes even more difficult to see. Even his posture had changed from a confident one to that of someone who had been defeated. His shoulders were slumped, and as Enzan watched, his head bent forward even more.</p><p>  “Of course you are,” Enzan said, carefully making sure his tone and face were lacking emotion. He would get nothing acting the way he was now, and he decided to play along until he found out more. “I’m just a little confused at the moment.”</p><p>  Rockman raised his head slightly, and Enzan saw a gleam of hope in his eyes. The abrupt changes in the navi were almost as puzzling as Rockman’s earlier statements. It was as if Rockman was fearful of Enzan’s reaction.</p><p>  “Maybe you are not feeling well?” the navi suggested.</p><p>  “That must be it,” Enzan replied. He felt his own forehead with his free hand. “I could be coming down with something.”</p><p>  “Then I should tell your mother,” Rockman said. “If you are not feeling well, you should not go to school. Enzan-sama, please plug me into the house’s system so that I may find Hikari-san and tell her.”</p><p>  “O-of course,” Enzan said shakily. Things were happening so quickly that he hardly had the time to think. He plugged the PET into the panel next to the bedroom’s door and watched Rockman disappear from it. Once the navi was gone, he sighed and rubbed his temple. He was more confused than ever now, but his questions only seemed to upset Rockman. The last thing Enzan wanted was to be branded crazy before he could figure out what was going on.</p><p>  “What happened to me?” he wondered out loud. “How did I get here? And more importantly, where is Hikari Netto, and why am I here in his place?”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  Enzan looked down at his PET to see that Rockman had returned. For some reason, the navi looked slightly ashamed. “Yes, Rockman?” Enzan asked.</p><p>  “I told your mother,” Rockman replied, rubbing the back of his head. “And she reacted in the usual way. If I may suggest, you might want to prepare yourself.”</p><p><em>  The usual way?</em> Enzan blinked. He had no clue what Rockman was talking about.</p><p>  Unfortunately, he did not get the time to figure it out.</p><p>  “Enzaaaaaaan!”</p><p>  Enzan spun to face the door, halfway into a defensive stance before the door burst open and someone—something—came through. Enzan only caught a sight of a purple flash before he was pulled into a crushing embrace and nearly smothered as his face was buried in someone’s shirt.</p><p>  “My poor child!” The thing cried, rocking Enzan back and forth. Enzan’s struggles did not free him, and the creature holding him did not seem inclined to let him go anytime soon.</p><p>  “Hikari-san!” Rockman cried. “Please be careful! Enzan-sama might be very sick.”</p><p>  The arms that encircled Enzan’s shoulders eased, and Enzan pulled himself backwards in a jerking, nearly violent motion, gasping for breath. His vision unblocked, he realized he was standing in front of a brown-haired woman wearing a purple shirt and a skirt. She had her arms crossed and was frowning.</p><p>  “Enzan,” she said, her tone sharp. “Are you going to allow that program to talk so disrespectfully to me?”</p><p>  Enzan blinked. “I don’t see anything wrong with what he said. He was telling the truth.”</p><p>  The woman—<em>Hikari Haruka</em>, Enzan realized—made an angry noise. “That is no excuse for rudeness. I thought you had trained that thing to be polite.”</p><p>  “I am very sorry, Hikari-san,” Rockman said from within the PET. He bowed low on the screen. “It will not happen again.”</p><p>  “It had better not,” Haruka muttered. She then looked at Enzan with such an intense expression of motherly care that the boy could hardly believe she was the same woman who had been chewing out Rockman in such a harsh tone seconds ago. “Enzan, are you really feeling bad?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.</p><p>  “Yes,” Enzan answered, feeling a bit unnerved. “I feel slightly dizzy, and a bit confused. May I stay home for today?”</p><p>  Haruka smiled brightly. “Of course you can. I’ll go get the thermometer and some medicine. You’ll feel better in no time!” She left the room without giving him a chance to reply.</p><p><em>  What a bizarre woman</em>, Enzan thought. <em>No wonder Hikari acts so strangely with someone like that taking care of him.</em></p><p>  “Enzan-sama, you have my deepest apologies,” Rockman said. Enzan glanced at the PET and saw that Rockman was staring at his hands, looking miserable. “I am not supposed to talk to your mother without your strict permission, and to speak to her so rudely is unforgivable. If you wish that I be given the usual punishment, I can administrate it to myself while you rest.”</p><p>    “The usual punishment?” Enzan repeated, puzzled.</p><p>Rockman nodded, his expression getting even sadder, something Enzan hadn’t thought possible. “As you wish, Enzan-sama. If you place my PET in the charger, I can do it without disturbing you further.”</p><p>  “Hold on!” Enzan cried. “Rockman, I’m not going to punish you for a simple mistake. You’ve apologized for it, and I accept your apology. You won’t be punished.”</p><p>  Rockman visibly perked up. “Thank you, Enzan-sama,” he said, trying hard to hide a smile.</p><p>  Enzan rubbed his head, feeling a real headache coming on. None of this made any sense, and it was making less sense as time when on. First he was supposed to be Hikari Enzan, then his “mother” acts like his navi was a disgusting animal acting out of place when all Rockman did was try to protect his operator. And now the small, blue navi was speaking of being punished as something that happened frequently. In Enzan’s mind, he hadn’t done anything wrong to begin with. Besides, he would have never dreamed to punish his navi or any other navi for any mistake, no matter how great. It wasn’t right to exercise such power over something as helpless as a navi was to an operator. Even World Three hadn’t been that cruel to their own personal navis.</p><p>  “Rockman, I’m going to lie down,” he said finally. “If Hika… if my mother returns, tell her to leave the medicine and such on my desk. And don’t worry about being rude to her or not.”</p><p>  “As you wish, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said doubtfully. Then his tone changed to one of concern. “Please feel better soon.”</p><p>  Enzan smiled, surprised slightly by the genuine worry in Rockman’s voice. “I will try.”</p><p>  Mentally he was trying to figure out what he had learned so far. <em>This is place is too real to be a nightmare</em>, he thought. <em>Rockman’s told me too much detail about Hikari’s family that I had no way of knowing. So if it’s not a dream, then what is it?</em></p><p>  He carefully set Rockman’s PET in the charger and got back into bed, feeling Rockman’s gaze follow him all the way. As he pulled the covers over his body, he noticed for the first time the clothes he wore. He was dressed in a pair of red pajamas, a long-sleeved shirt and pants; his feet bare. The cuffs of his shirt were frayed slightly at the edges, a detail Enzan noted as he pulled the blankets over his shoulders. It was surprising, because although his normal clothes were modest for the son of a rich company president, they were top quality. Any sign of wear, and he could and usually did replace them. The wear and tear on the pajamas not only suggested that they had been in use for some time, but that there was not enough money to replace worn clothing at leisure.</p><p>  Enzan closed his eyes, realizing he was reading too much from one pair of clothing. For all he knew, it could be a favorite pair of pajamas. Still, from what he had seen of this life so far, it was drastically different from his old one. He had to get to the bottom of it quickly, but his eyelids already felt heavy, and soon he was asleep.</p><p># # #</p><p>  In the darkness, the machines hummed, buzzed, clicked, and whirled. The only light came from a single computer screen. This light was obscured by five people bent over the screen, all of them peering intently at it.</p><p>  “This is boring,” one complained loudly. “All the subject did was go back to sleep!”</p><p>  “Be patient!” another snapped. “We’ve only just begun the experience. We must give the subject time to adjust.”</p><p>  “Indeed,” a feminine voice said quietly. It belonged to the only woman in the group. She tapped a few commands on the keyboard in front of her. “His body is still getting used to it. By sleeping, he will unwittingly allow the computer to make the complete adjustments without him noticing. You have to remember—”</p><p>  “Yeah, yeah,” the first interrupted. “New technology, first test run, all that. I know that, I just wish something would <em>happen</em>. This is boring.”</p><p>  “Things will pick up soon,” someone else said. “You’ll see. Don’t forget who we’re dealing with. Things will most definitely get interesting soon.”</p><p>  The last figure remained silent throughout the conversation. He watched both the screen and the rest of the group halfheartedly, his mind was elsewhere. His orders were clear, but achieving his goals was going to be harder than he thought. The deeper he got into this place, the more complicated things got. <em>This will not be easy</em>, he thought, glancing at the screen. <em>If I am not successful, the “test subject” will be on his own.</em></p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A Stranger in His Own Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Enzan opened his eyes slowly. The ceiling above him was covered with long shadows, and the light wasn’t as strong as it had been that morning. Enzan wondered briefly how long he had been sleeping to cause such a drastic change in the light source. Then he wondered if he was still trapped in the nightmare he had been having. </p>
<p>  “Enzan-sama.”</p>
<p>  The voice of the speaker immediately answered Enzan’s question. With a sigh, he sat up.</p>
<p>  “Hello, Rockman.”</p>
<p>  Rockman smiled slightly. “Do you feel better, Enzan-sama?”</p>
<p>  “Yes,” Enzan replied. It was halfway true. His head felt clearer and his body was full of energy. However, the knowledge that he was still here, with Hikari’s navi calling him “Enzan-sama,” Hikari’s scary mother breathing down his neck, and wearing what had to be Hikari’s pajamas unnerved him, dampening his mood.</p>
<p>  “Rockman,” Enzan said. “What time is it?”</p>
<p>  “It is 3:30 in the afternoon,” Rockman replied promptly. “Your mother left the medicine on the desk as you requested, if you still feel the need for it.”</p>
<p>  “I don’t think that will be necessary. How long was I asleep?” Enzan asked.</p>
<p>  “Approximately ten and a half hours, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said.</p>
<p>  Enzan rubbed his eyes. He had wasted the entire day sleeping. His father had drilled into him that laziness meant the loss of precious hours, hours that could be used to conduct business. It was one of the few things that his father had taken the time to teach him. Enzan sat up and climbed out of bed, dismissing his memories before they could cloud his judgment. He looked around the room, taking in his surroundings again.</p>
<p>  “Rockman, tell me what day it is,” he said as he headed for the closet.</p>
<p>  “It is Thursday,” Rockman answered.</p>
<p>  He shifted through the clothing, boxes, and dusty books in the closet. The day was what he could remember; making the possibility of this being a dream less and less, a conclusion he had reached earlier but had been reluctant to accept. That only meant that Enzan had to consider other theories, but at the moment, he couldn’t think of any. He wasn’t panicking yet. That could wait until he was completely awake.</p>
<p>  “Enzan-sama?” Rockman called.  </p>
<p>  “What?” Enzan said irritably.</p>
<p>  “W-What are you looking for?”</p>
<p>  Enzan paused and looked back at the navi. Rockman was cringing and staring at down again. The slightest unpleasant inflection in his master’s voice sent the blue navi shaking, and Enzan made a note to treat Rockman carefully from now on. “I’m looking for my clothes,” he said, trying to make his voice gentle.</p>
<p>  Rockman eyed him. Enzan got the feeling his change in tone had only made the navi suspicious. “They’re under your bed, Enzan-sama, where they always are.”</p>
<p>  Enzan thought Rockman had put some emphasis on the word “always,” but the navi’s face was blank.</p>
<p><em>  So even he knows that I’m lost in what’s supposed to be my own room</em>, Enzan realized. He went to the bed without a word and knelt by it. He pushed his blankets aside, revealing drawers. Enzan had no doubt that they contained clothes, just as Rockman had said.</p>
<p>  “Rockman, tell me what’s going on for the rest of the day,” Enzan said as he rummaged through the drawers. Fortunately, the clothes in them were in styles he preferred, not anything like that silly bright vest Hikari Netto wore all the time. Enzan picked out some clothes identical to the ones he usually wore. They were well taken care of, but worn, and his camouflage pants had frayed cuffs.</p>
<p><em>  So my observations about the pajamas last night can also be applied to the rest of these clothes</em>, Enzan thought, frowning. He dressed quickly, putting on the clothes by memory as his mind raced. <em>But that doesn’t make sense. Hikari may not be the son of a rich man, but with the job his father has, his family should be well off. Why would these clothes be so worn, if I have indeed taken Hikari’s place?</em></p>
<p>  “You have nothing scheduled for today, Enzan-sama. Your mother wished me to tell you that she has made you both lunch and dinner,” Rockman said, interrupting his thoughts. “They are waiting downstairs in the kitchen.”</p>
<p>  “Thank you, Rockman,” Enzan said politely. “I am hungry.” He unplugged the PET from the charger and walked toward the bedroom door. He paused by the closet, reached in, and pulled out a red vest. Feeling more like himself, he made his way downstairs, moving slowly to take in his surroundings. He caught glimpses of rooms through half closed doors, but there were more closed doors than open ones, and Enzan wondered how to explore the house without making Rockman suspicious.</p>
<p>  Fortunately, downstairs was less confusing, consisting of a living room at the bottom of the stairs. Enzan could easily see the kitchen from the living room. <em>This isn’t a very big house</em>, he thought. <em>Maybe Hikari isn’t as well off as I thought he was.</em></p>
<p>  He walked into the kitchen and found that it was larger than he thought it would be. Sitting on the table was a lacquered box. The wood it was made from was stained dark, and there was a simple flower design on the lid.</p>
<p>  “An <em>obentou</em>!” Enzan said with surprise, studying the lunch box.</p>
<p>  “Yes, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said. “That is your lunch. Your dinner is in the refrigerator.”</p>
<p>  “Where is Hi—my mother?” Enzan asked, looking around. He had seen no sign of the woman, something he was grateful for, but it never hurt to know whether or not she would show up without warning. He had barely recovered from her last appearance.</p>
<p>  “Your mother is at her job,” Rockman replied. He no longer seemed surprised by Enzan’s ignorant questioning. Enzan wondered if it was because the navi had decided to deal with them, or if he had adjusted to answering them without showing his surprise.</p>
<p>  “Her job?” he repeated. <em>That’s funny</em>, he thought. <em>I could have sworn Hikari’s mother didn’t work. She wouldn’t have to with the money her husband makes.</em></p>
<p>  “Yes, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said. “Her <em>job</em>.”</p>
<p>  This time the emphasis was definitely noticeable, but Enzan ignored the urge to glare at Rockman. He sat down at the table, propping up Rockman’s PET next to him by instinct, and opened the lunch box. Neatly packed in it was a good-sized portion of food. Enzan’s stomach growled as his eyes took in the sight, and he reached for the chopsticks without hesitating.</p>
<p>  Rockman clapped his hands sharply.</p>
<p>  Enzan rolled his eyes, but pressed his hands together as well. “<em>Itadakimasu</em>,” he said, making a pained face. Even if the navi feared him, Rockman didn’t hesitate to remind Enzan to say the traditional polite phrase before eating his meal.</p>
<p><em>  Why does Rockman fear me?</em> Enzan found himself wondering as he dug into his rice. He had given the navi no reason to show such fear, yet Rockman nearly quivered in his boots whenever Enzan spoke. It was odd, for the Rockman he knew was confidant, and had never shown fear in the face of battle. Why would the navi be so different now?</p>
<p><em>  Could it have anything to do with that punishment he mentioned?</em> Enzan wondered. That didn’t make any sense either, Rockman volunteering to punish himself just for something he said. Nothing made sense anymore.</p>
<p>  Everything was different here, wherever here was. Enzan had already ruled the dream theory out, and sudden transportation to a parallel world was too farfetched. As long as he kept it simple, he could reasonably figure this out. The problem was, he had nothing to go on. No one else seemed to remember the way things should be. <em>Why?</em></p>
<p>  His eyes drifted around the kitchen, coming to rest on a picture frame. He suddenly dropped his chopsticks and got up from the table, ignoring Rockman’s alarmed questions about his actions. He picked the picture frame up and stared at the photo inside. Staring back at him was Hikari Yuuichirou, Hikari Haruka, and… himself. He was in the picture too, with Hikari’s father leaning an arm on his shoulder. He was smiling, and his eyes were shining happily.</p>
<p><em>  When was the last time I smiled like that?</em> Enzan wondered. He couldn’t remember. His life was so full of the stress of being the vice president of a company, and his spare time was spent practicing netbattling until he nearly dropped with exhaustion. He never had time to be that happy.</p>
<p>  The picture looked like it wasn’t more than a year old. <em>I can’t do this on my own</em>, Enzan thought as he set the picture down. <em>I need Rockman’s help, even if he won’t believe me. Otherwise, I’ll never find my way home.</em></p>
<p>  “Rockman,” he said, turning around.</p>
<p>  “Yes, Enzan-sama?”</p>
<p>  Enzan started to say something; then he paused. His body had satisfied its hunger, and now he found another essential need had arisen. “I… um…” Enzan stammered. He couldn’t last much longer; he had to spit it out. “Where’s the toilet?”</p>
<p># # # </p>
<p>  The man wearing the black suit walked down the halls undisturbed. He was noticed by all who passed him, but they made obvious efforts to avoid him. The ordinary workers knew all about the black suits. If you ever crossed one, you would disappear, like you had never existed. If anyone protested, they would disappear too. Rumor had it that they became part of the project in the other part of the building, a part that only the black suits could access. No one knew what the project was, but the rumor stated anyone who became subject in the project would come out as something other than human, if they came out at all.</p>
<p><em>  If you listened to rumor, the world would cease to exist</em>, thought the man in the black suit.</p>
<p>  Yet the workers had good reason to fear the black suits and the experiment the large building housed. The machines used to power the experiment needed the workers to run them, but there were plenty of people looking for work in the economic slump that had befallen the world lately. All the machines needed were people smart enough to run them, but not smart enough to figure out what their purpose. That was an easy task, for not even the Net Agent in disguise had figured out what the machines were for.</p>
<p>  The man slipped into a room that had been carefully made to look like an extra storage room. In the corner was a box which said <strong>Human Waste Disposal Cleaner</strong> on the side. The man in the black suit, the Net Agent’s disguise, had pointed out that such a product didn’t exist, but the other Net Agents had argued it would make others avoid it.</p>
<p>  It didn’t make the situation any less humiliating.</p>
<p>  The man carefully pulled at something on his neck. For a moment, it resisted, but then the mask came off smoothly, revealing dark hair held back by braids, large and watchful eyes, and a face which was too feminine to belong to a male. The “man” rubbed her face carefully. The last time she had removed the mask, it had nearly taken half her skin with it. This time it had come off cleanly, but there was no harm in checking.</p>
<p>  She pressed a button on the side of the box, and it unfolded to reveal the communications device. A light was blinking, indicating that contact had already been made. She quickly connected the audio, angry with herself for keeping her partner waiting.</p>
<p>  “Agent Black, what is your status?”</p>
<p>  “Very funny,” Miyuki said dryly, adjusting the connection. Her last name, Kuroi, might translate to black, but no one bothered to run this new nickname by her ahead of time. “I didn’t intend on being late.”</p>
<p>  “I realize that,” Saloma’s voice replied.</p>
<p>  Miyuki couldn’t risk making a visual communication in fear of the signal being detected, but she could sense Saloma’s emotions through her voice. “What happened?” she asked, feeling a cold sensation spread through her body. It was something bad, she could sense.</p>
<p>  “The more we uncover about this new organization, the worse it gets,” Saloma replied. “I’ll fill you in on the details when things calm down, but they’ve made two separate attacks on the Science Labs mainframe in unison.”</p>
<p>  “Our defenses weren’t expecting that, and they took heavy casualties,” Miyuki finished.</p>
<p>  “Yes. Several custom net navis were deleted, and their remaining irreplaceable data was stolen,” Saloma said. She sighed, the sound carrying loudly over the communication device. “They did not break into the mainframe, but they came very close, and now our defenses are cut in half.”</p>
<p>  “Could it have anything to do with the project?” Miyuki asked, rubbing her hands. She missed holding her crystal ball. It was merely a distraction technique for the customers that came to her seeking their fortunes, but its presence was comforting. Without it, she felt like a poor copy of herself.</p>
<p>  “That was what we were hoping you could tell us,” Saloma replied.</p>
<p>  Miyuki sighed. “They keep the project under such close wraps; even those in the inner circle to the project are only fed bits of information. All I know is how things are going inside of it, and how the ‘subject’ is doing, as they refer to him.”</p>
<p>  “The poor kid,” Saloma said softly, her voice immediately sympathetic. “Imagine being trapped in something like that.”</p>
<p>  “Well, whatever its purpose is, I won’t find it out at the pace I’m going,” Miyuki replied. “We may have to depend on the subject to figure it out for himself.”</p>
<p>  “He has a name, Miyuki,” Saloma said.</p>
<p>  “In this place, names are dangerous,” Miyuki said quietly. “The wrong one will get you killed, if you’re not careful. For his sake, we had better keep his name out of this.”</p>
<p>  “True,” Saloma replied. “Well, I’ll contact you once we get more information.”</p>
<p>  “And I’ll contact you if I find out anything more,” Miyuki said. She shut the machine off without saying good-bye. She had heard something outside the door.</p>
<p>  Getting her disguise back on went quickly, as if had been designed to, and she hid the device. The doorknob rattled, and Miyuki tried to find a place to hide.</p>
<p>  The janitor, an old man known to his fellow workers only as Honda, opened the door, only to stop in surprise. A man in a black suit was standing in the middle of the storage room. Honda froze, remembering the warning his superiors had told him about the ones who wore the black suits.  </p>
<p>  “I was looking for the lab room,” the man said stiffly. There was a device in Miyuki’s mask that automatically deepened her voice, and she was grateful for it. If she had to fake a deeper voice, she didn’t think she could last a day.</p>
<p>  “Of course,” Honda said nervously, bowing. “Y-You won’t find that room here.”</p>
<p>  “I realize that,” Miyuki said coldly as she walked passed the man. Inwardly, she wanted to comfort him. His shaking reminded her uncomfortably of her own hidden fears.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I decided to leave in both the word obentou in. It feels like a common enough word, but maybe that's just because I lived in Japan for too long. Itadakimasu is a polite phrase that is always said before a meal. I decided to leave this one in as well, as it's an in-character thing for Rockman to nag about. You'll note Enzan fails to use the follow-up phrase (gochisosama deshita). He's got a lot going on.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Pasts Revealed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Rockman stared at his operator. Enzan’s head was resting on the kitchen table, and his hands were clasped on either side of his head. As the navi watched, Enzan grabbed clumps of his hair and pulled on them roughly.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama?” Rockman said worriedly. “Are you all right?”</p><p>  Enzan jerked his head up. “No,” he said dully. “I’m not.”</p><p>  “What happened?” Rockman asked, his eyes wide. Enzan had gone to the bathroom after the navi had explained where it was. He had come back in a state of shock, sat down at the table, and slammed his forehead against it hard.</p><p>  Enzan pointed at his hair. “It’s black,” he hissed. “All of it!”</p><p>  Rockman obediently looked at Enzan’s hair. “Yes, Enzan-sama,” he said. “That’s its natural color.”</p><p>  “It used to be dyed!” Enzan snapped. He pointed at the picture on kitchen counter. In the picture, he was smiling and standing with Hikari’s parents, and the top of his hair was white. “It’s dyed in that picture!”</p><p>  “That was a long time ago,” Rockman said. “You dyed it back to its original color since then, remember?”</p><p>  Enzan slammed his fist against the table in frustration. “No! I don’t remember! I don’t remember any of this!” He spread his hands out, gesturing. “I don’t belong here, Rockman. This isn’t my home!”</p><p>  “What?” Rockman asked. His voice was strained and the unmistakable look of worry and fear was back in his eyes.</p><p>  Enzan put his hands on the table and leaned closer to the PET. “My name is Ijuuin Enzan, <em>not</em> Hikari Enzan. I’m the vice president of my father’s company, the top net-battler in Japan, and my hair is dyed white on the top, like it always is! I don’t know what’s going on here, but this isn’t my life!”</p><p>  Rockman was silent. His expression was blank, but his eyes watched Enzan carefully.</p><p>  Enzan sat down with a sigh. “You don’t believe me, do you?”</p><p>  “I do not think you are well, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said quietly.</p><p>  “I’m not crazy,” Enzan snapped.</p><p>  “I didn’t say you were,” Rockman said.</p><p>  “Look, I’m telling the truth,” Enzan said, trying to calm down. He had lost control of the situation, and he needed to regain it. “How can I prove it to you? Doesn’t the fact that I don’t know anything about this family or myself prove I’m not who I’m supposed to be?”</p><p>  “You were ill earlier,” Rockman said softly. “You could just be confused.”</p><p>  “I don’t have a temperature,” Enzan said. “I’ll prove it to you, if you want. I’m not confused, because I can remember everything about my old life vividly, yet I don’t know a thing about this one. I could go on about my life, if you want to hear it. I’m not sick or crazy.”</p><p>  Rockman looked away. “You don’t have to have a temperature to be ill, Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  “So you do think I’m crazy,” Enzan muttered, leaning back in the chair.</p><p>  “I’m sorry, Enzan-sama,” Rockman whispered. “But you’re not making any sense. I’m just worried about you.”</p><p>  “I know,” Enzan said, rubbing his eyes. “I can understand why you would think that way. But I’m not.” He looked at Rockman, silently begging the navi to believe him. “You have to believe me.”</p><p>  “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can,” Rockman replied. He looked like he was going to cry.</p><p>  “That’s all right,” Enzan said softly, trying to comfort the navi as well as himself. “You don’t have to believe me. I won’t make you.”</p><p>  “Thank you, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said, rubbing at his eyes.</p><p>  “But I still need you to do something for me,” Enzan continued. He took a breath, gathering his thoughts. “I believe that I don’t belong here. I’m not asking you to believe it too, but I need your help.”</p><p>  “My help?” Rockman repeated, looking puzzled.</p><p>  “Yes,” Enzan said, closing his eyes for a moment. “If anyone else knew that I can’t remember anything about who I’m supposed to be, they’ll lock me up and try to figure out what’s wrong with me. I can’t let that happen, no matter what.”</p><p>  “They will only be trying to help you,” Rockman said.</p><p>  “I know, but I don’t want that kind of help,” Enzan replied. “Rockman, I believe I don’t belong here, and all I want is to go home. I don’t know what happened to me, but I’m going to find out. In order to do that, I’ll need your help.”</p><p>  “You want me to help prove that you’re not Hikari Enzan, even though I don’t believe you,” Rockman said, sounding doubtful.</p><p>  “It’s better than no help at all,” Enzan replied. “In order for me to stay here without people becoming suspicious, I need you to tell me everything that’s happened to your operator.”</p><p>  “You are my operator,” Rockman said.</p><p>  “I know that!” Enzan said impatiently. “I need you to tell me about Hikari Enzan’s life, the Hikari Enzan you believe me to be.”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama…” Rockman trailed off. He gave Enzan an odd look. “You want me to tell you <em>everything</em>?”</p><p>  Enzan sighed. This was going to be more trouble than he had thought.</p><p>  “Are you willing to help me, Rockman?” he asked. “I need you to tell me the truth. I won’t get angry about it, I promise.”</p><p>  Rockman was silent for a moment.</p><p>  “I believe that you are the Enzan-sama I know, and somehow you don’t remember that,” he said. “However, you’re still my operator, and if you ask for my help, I will not refuse it. Nor will I tell anyone else about this if you don’t wish it.”</p><p>  “Thank you, Rockman,” Enzan said, genuinely grateful. It was the best response he could have hoped for. “You’re the only one who can help me now.”</p><p>  It was true, Enzan realized as he said it. He was alone, and Rockman was the only one who could help him, even if the navi would do it unwillingly.</p><p>  “I only hope I can help, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied. He seemed as relieved as Enzan that they had come to an understanding. “What is it I can tell you about?”</p><p>  Enzan thought for a moment. “Tell me about Hikari Yuuichirou and Haruka,” he said. “Hikari Yuuichirou still works at Science Labs, does he not?”</p><p>  Rockman looked surprised; then his expression slipped into one of sadness. “No, Enzan-sama. Your father lost his job a long time ago.”</p><p>  “<em>What</em>?” Enzan cried, startled. “How could that happen? He was one of the most important scientists they had!”</p><p>  “You really don’t know, do you?” Rockman asked quietly.</p><p>  “You know I don’t, Rockman,” Enzan replied. “Please, tell me what happened. Why are things so different now than when that picture was taken?” He pointed to the picture on the counter.</p><p>  “That was taken nearly two years ago,” Rockman replied, his eyes drifting over to the picture. “It was right after your eleventh birthday, the day you got your first custom net navi.”</p><p>  His gaze flickered to Enzan’s face. “The day you got me.”</p><p>  Enzan took a breath. The picture had been older than he thought, and his brain was whirling with all of the other information he was trying to absorb. “Go on,” he said.</p><p>  “Well, your father was always a very busy man,” Rockman continued. “He gave you a custom net navi to make up for all the time he spent at work. Shortly after your birthday, Papa… lost his job.”</p><p>  Enzan silently noted the way Rockman had naturally referred to Hikari Yuuichirou as: Papa. With Enzan’s “mother,” Rockman would never dream of calling her Mama, yet he had called Dr. Hikari by the term “Papa” without hesitating.</p><p>  That was interesting.</p><p>  “How did he lose his job?” Enzan asked quietly.</p><p>  “There was an accident at the lab,” Rockman said, taking a breath. “The public never really found out what happened, but Papa was blamed. They fired him… and the public took it in stride. He became known as a fool, an idiot, and no one would hire him.”</p><p>  “That’s awful,” Enzan said quietly, staring off into space. “For a man as brilliant as he is to be treated that way… what happened next?”</p><p>  “Papa grew depressed,” Rockman said, his voice sad. “He stopped trying to get a job, and he started drinking a lot. Your mother grew angry with him, and blamed all the side projects he did for his absence all those years. She said if he had paid more attention to his job and his family, the accident would have never happened. They began to fight a lot.”</p><p>  Rockman stopped for a moment.</p><p>  “I’m sorry,” Enzan said. “Please, I need to know what happened next.”</p><p>  “Your mother got a job to pay the bills, and Papa…” Rockman trailed off. His eyes were distant, watching things that only he could see, images deeply embedded in his memory. “Papa stopped coming home. Sometimes he would show up after two weeks, only to leave again after he and your mother fought, and sometimes it was months before he would show.”</p><p>  “And your op—me?” Enzan asked. “What happened to me?”</p><p>  Rockman hesitated. He took a breath and seemed to steel himself. “You grew bitter too, like your mother. You dyed your hair black because your father was the one who liked it with the white. Your grades fell, and sometimes you would even avoid going to school. They tried everything, but in the end they held you back a year.”</p><p>  “They do that here?” Enzan asked, surprised.</p><p>  “If it’s bad enough, I guess. I’m sorry, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said softly.</p><p>  “It isn’t your fault,” Enzan reassured him. “No one is blaming you.”</p><p>  “Yes, they are,” Rockman whispered, closing his eyes. His hands were clenched at his sides.</p><p>  Enzan stared at him for a long moment. “You were Dr. Hikari’s last project,” he realized, saying it out loud. “That’s why Hikari Haruka treats you with such hatred!”</p><p>  “Yes,” Rockman admitted, nodding. “After it happened, she suddenly started to hate the fact that Papa was so fascinated with navis, even though that was his job field. She claimed he was obsessed with them, and considers me a product of his obsession.”</p><p>  “She wasn’t the only one to blame you for Dr. Hikari losing his job, was she?” Enzan asked carefully. “I must have done it too.”</p><p>  “You’ve never said it out loud,” Rockman said firmly.</p><p>  “But I treated you like dirt after the accident, right?” Enzan guessed.</p><p>  The look on Rockman’s face told him he was right.</p><p>  “That’s ridiculous!” he exclaimed, feeling angry. “You didn’t have anything to do with Hikari losing his job!”</p><p>  Rockman didn’t say anything. He watched Enzan warily, but his eyes held a small gleam of hope.</p><p>  “You don’t have anything to do with it,” Enzan said firmly. “I don’t care what you’ve been told in the past, but that is the only thing that’s true. Do you understand?”</p><p>  “Y-yes,” Rockman stammered, surprised by Enzan’s fierce insistence.</p><p>  “I want you to repeat that,” Enzan said. “You don’t have anything to do with Hikari losing his job. It’s not your fault. Got that?”</p><p>  “I don’t have anything to do with Papa losing his job,” Rockman repeated. “It’s not my fault.” Then he smiled shyly.</p><p>  Enzan smiled back. He may not have gotten any closer to solving the mystery of how he got here, but at least he had accomplished something.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “This isn’t right!” someone exclaimed. “What is he doing?”</p><p>  Another black suit—as Miyuki had come to call them—looked over his companion’s shoulder. “He’s right,” the man called. “The subject is acting completely different than what was expected of him.”</p><p>  “He’s in a new environment,” Miyuki said, speaking at last. She had to contribute something to the group, or she would look suspicious. Her disguise as a man was nearly perfect, but it wouldn’t do her any good if she came under questioning. “It’s natural for him to act differently than he has in the past.”</p><p>  There were no names used among those wearing the black suits, which was why Miyuki referred to them in that way. They knew each other by facial recognition only. Names were not necessary to complete the job they had been given.</p><p>  “Our new companion is right,” another black suit said. This time it was the woman. She was leaning against the wall, watching everything that was going on with wary eyes. “It is natural for the subject to do something differently than expected of him when placed in a new environment. He still needs to adjust to the program.”</p><p>  “I thought he already had adjusted!” someone complained.</p><p>  “The computer had adjusted,” the woman replied smoothly. “Our subject is human, and so adds an unknown factor. He will adjust quickly—but how quickly is not yet known.”</p><p>  The person fell silent, yet Miyuki could he him mumbling underneath his breath. Since she had first joined the group under the guise of being a scientist specializing in navigating technology, it had become obvious that the woman was the leader of the small group. She gave out the orders that came from their superiors, and she was the one who made the decisions. She was also a very sharp woman who kept an eye on everyone, making her very dangerous to Miyuki.</p><p>  “Rest assured,” Miyuki said, speaking up again. “Phase Two will commence as planned. There too many safeguards in the system to let the subject stray. The Second Day will happen as programmed.”</p><p>  “And even if it doesn’t,” the woman said, “It will be very interesting to watch.”</p><p><em>  How many hours have you been trapped in there?</em> Miyuki wondered silently. <em>How many ‘Days’ do you have left before the project reaches its climax? For your sake, young one, you have to figure this out. You may be the only one who can save yourself. </em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m well aware that anime rules toward hair and eye color are pretty loose, and it’s not a stretch for a boy who’s vice president of his company to have naturally white and black hair, but having it dyed is the hill I’m dying on. Besides, I saw the Enzan-style look in Japan more than once when I lived there, and it was always a hoot to see.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. School Blues</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  “So, if I’m in school, where do I go to school at?” Enzan called over his shoulder. He was digging through the clothes drawer, looking for a shirt.</p><p>  “Akihara Elementary School, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied. “You are in the fifth grade.”</p><p>  “Fifth grade?” Enzan repeated, looking up from the shirt in his hand. He made a face, remembering yesterday’s conversation. “Oh, right. I was held back a year.”</p><p>  “Yes, Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  “I didn’t think they did that kind of thing unless the person was completely hopeless,” Enzan said, pulling the shirt on. “Are my grades really that terrible?”</p><p>  “Yes, Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  Enzan nearly tripped as he got to his feet. “Well, you don’t have to be that blunt about it,” he complained.</p><p>  Rockman cringed, but he seemed to remember he wasn’t dealing with his ordinary operator. “Your grades are quite terrible, I’m afraid,” he said. Enzan could have sworn the navi was almost cheerful about it.</p><p>  “How terrible?” he asked.</p><p>  “You managed to get a failing grade in everything, even gym,” Rockman replied. “You were very pleased with yourself at the time. They tried to put you in remedial classes, but you wouldn’t show up for them. You somehow ‘lost’ your summer homework and started the year of by flunking three tests, writing the answers to an English pop quiz in French, and making up your own formulas in math class.”</p><p>  “Wow, that’s… quite a record,” Enzan said. “I do all of that on purpose?”</p><p>  “You’re very intelligent, as your teacher has said many times,” Rockman replied quietly. “Not many can translate English to French without preparation. So yes, most people think that you do it on purpose. You seem to enjoy it.”</p><p>  “I’m intelligent, but I’m not too smart, am I?” Enzan muttered.</p><p>  Rockman looked cornered. He obviously didn’t want to say bad things about his operator in case they came back to haunt him later.</p><p>  “It’s all right, Rockman,” Enzan said with a sigh. “You can say it. I’m crazy in the head, remember? I’m not who you know me as.”</p><p>  It was early morning the next day and things hadn’t changed much for Enzan. Rockman still thought he was crazy. Enzan wasn’t closer to any answers, and his hair was still annoyingly solid black. At least he still had his blue eye contacts, which he had checked on the previous night. Enzan tugged on a lock of his hair, as if reminding himself of the change. He dyed it white a long time ago, around the same time he had first created Blues as his custom net navi. He had liked the look so much that he had kept it since.</p><p>  His father hadn’t approved.</p><p>  Enzan shook his head, trying to forget about his father. “Where’s Hikari-san?” he asked as he searched for his red vest.</p><p>  “Your… mother?” Rockman tried.</p><p>  “Well, what should I call her?” Enzan said, slightly exasperated. “She isn’t <em>my</em> mother, or so I believe. I don’t have a—” He cut himself off.</p><p>  Rockman wasn’t slow or stupid, and his time dealing with his operator had taught him a great many things the hard way. One of them was caution, which he decided to throw to the wind at the moment.</p><p>  “You don’t have a mother?” he said, surprise in his voice.</p><p>  “No,” Enzan said sharply. “I don’t. End of discussion.”</p><p>  “Sorry,” Rockman said quietly.</p><p>  “Never mind, I shouldn’t have said anything,” Enzan replied. “What do I call ‘my’ mother? Hikari-san?”</p><p>  “You’re all named Hikari,” Rockman pointed out.</p><p>  “You call her Hikari-san. How about Haruka?” Enzan tried. He grabbed a backpack from the corner and looked through it. The books seemed hardly used, and Enzan found he wasn’t surprised at their lack of wear.</p><p>  “I’m not a Hikari and not to her face,” Rockman warned.</p><p>  “Of course not,” Enzan said. He put the bag strap over his shoulder and picked up the PET from the charger. “So where is she?”</p><p>  “She’s at work,” Rockman replied. “She left early this morning.”</p><p>  “Guess even she can’t stand being around me,” Enzan muttered as he left the room.</p><p>  Yesterday had been a trial after Rockman had revealed what had happened in the recent past. Even though Enzan felt he had made progress with the blue navi, Rockman had felt so uncomfortable he had barely said a word for the rest of the day, and when Haruka came home, things got even worse. She treated Enzan like he was a baby, making sure he finished all his dinner and checking his temperature. The attention would have been nice if Enzan didn’t feel so nervous, afraid that Haruka would notice her son wasn’t really her son anymore. Strangely enough, Haruka had seemed almost hesitant to declare Enzan fit to go to school the next morning.</p><p>  “Doesn’t Haruka mind that I don’t get good grades?” Enzan asked as he reached the bottom of the stairs. He turned for the door.</p><p>  “Don’t forget your lunch!” Rockman reminded him.</p><p>  “Oh,” Enzan said, turning toward the kitchen. “She made me one?”</p><p>  “She always does, Enzan-sama,” Rockman sighed, remembering Enzan’s original question. “Your mother does mind that you get horrible school grades, but she’s so busy with work, she barely has time to worry about it.”</p><p>  “Does she have to work hard?” Enzan asked softly as he carefully placed the lunch box in his bag. It felt full, and he was suddenly grateful for Haruka’s thoughtfulness.</p><p>  “Her work doesn’t provide much job security,” Rockman said. “She usually works overtime, because it doesn’t make much money either.”</p><p>  “And your operator has the nerve to act like an idiot and flunk out of school?” Enzan replied. “I think I hate the guy already.”</p><p>  “He has his own problems,” Rockman said weakly. It was hard to defend his operator from what he thought was the operator himself.</p><p>  “He should be grateful for what he has,” Enzan snapped. “Don’t try to defend his behavior.”</p><p>  “Yes, Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  Complete obedience. It was something Enzan was used to coming from Blues, but when it was from Rockman he just found it unnerving. It just wasn’t natural for the navi, anyone could see that. It was something he had to try hard at, something that he had to learn… or be taught.</p><p>  Enzan had walked out the door and onto the sidewalk before he realized he didn’t know where he was going. “Rockman, you wouldn’t happen to know how to get to Akihara Elementary, would you?”</p><p>  Rockman sighed. “Follow my instructions, Enzan-sama, and I’ll lead you there.”</p><p>  And like that they were off. Enzan looked around the neighborhood with interest as he walked, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings.</p><p>  “Rockman,” he said as an idea struck him.</p><p>  “Yes, Enzan-sama?”</p><p>  “You don’t think this another one of my stunts, do you?” Enzan asked. “Just to get attention?”</p><p>  Rockman was silent for a moment.</p><p>  “I considered the idea,” he finally confessed. “However, it doesn’t make any sense. If you were trying to attract attention, you would tell more than just me, not keep it a secret.”</p><p>  “So you think I’m just crazy,” Enzan said flatly.</p><p>  “I don’t know what to believe,” Rockman replied softly. “But I’m starting to think you’re not my operator.”  </p><p>  Enzan was silent, letting the comment sink in. “That’s right,” he said slowly. “If I’m not your operator, then where is he?”</p><p>  “I don’t know, Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  Enzan sighed. Rockman’s voice had no real emotion in it. “You’re just playing along with me, aren’t you?” he asked, feeling angry. “Fine, be that way.”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, it’s not like that,” Rockman protested. “I just… I’m trying to understand.”</p><p>  “Well, try harder!” Enzan snapped. He knew his words would send Rockman cringing, but he didn’t care. He was getting tired of being treated like a little child blathering on about an invisible friend. Rockman was humoring him as much as the navi dared, and he didn’t find it amusing.</p><p>  The rest of the trip was spent mostly in silence, except for the moments when Rockman told Enzan to take a turn. Rockman realized Enzan was angry with him, and had melted back into his careful self once again. That only irritated him more, because the unnatural quietness Rockman reminded him of Blues, whose quietness was part of his nature.</p><p><em>  Or is it part of my nature, and Blues picked it up?</em> Enzan wondered. <em>Blues isn’t faking it like Rockman, is he? </em></p><p>  He wanted to reject the idea immediately. It was obvious that Rockman’s operator had been extremely cruel to the navi in order to make Rockman so fearful. Enzan would have never done anything like that to any navi, and he had always treated Blues… like data.</p><p><em>  I’ve always treated him like mere data</em>, he realized. It wasn’t until recently that he had learned navis were more than data, and the deletion of a navi was more like the death of a friend, rather than a loss of data. Watching what Hikari Netto had gone through when his navi had been deleted had taught Enzan how important Blues was to him. Half his shock at his new surroundings was that Blues was no longer at his side.</p><p><em>  I hope nothing has happened to him</em>, Enzan thought. <em>If I lost Blues, things would never be the same again.</em></p><p>  Blues changed Enzan’s life. Before, he had just lived in his father’s shadow, with nothing to make him unique. When he got Blues, he realized he had a chance to become someone other than a copy of his father. He distinguished himself in net-battling, and won the N1 Grand Prix, but he could never have done it without the silver-haired navi. Blues was always there for him, and now he wasn’t. Enzan missed the red-toned navi’s silent companionship more and more.</p><p>  Enzan turned the last corner and froze. The building before him was obviously the elementary, and several groups of schoolchildren were streaming into the building. Panic well up inside of him at the sight.</p><p>  “Rockman,” he hissed. “You have to help me!”</p><p>  “With what, Enzan-sama?” Rockman asked innocently.</p><p>  “You know perfectly well with what!” Enzan replied. “I’ve never been in a school before. I don’t know where to go, or what to do!”</p><p>  “You’ve been going to this school all your life, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said dully.</p><p>  Enzan pulled his PET out of its carrier and glared daggers at the navi. Rockman’s face was blank and his eyes unreadable, but Enzan knew he was doing it on purpose.</p><p>  “Please, Rockman,” he begged. “I really don’t know any of this. If you do think I’m your operator, then you’ve got to help me!”</p><p>  “I will try, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied, his voice flat. “However, you’ve been trying to convince me that you’re not my operator, remember?”</p><p>  Enzan gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to yell at the blue navi. “Just tell me where to go, please,” he mumbled.</p><p>  “Of course, Enzan-sama. Your classroom is in 5A, on the second floor.”</p><p>  Enzan sighed. Rockman was using a tone of voice Enzan had quickly learned to recognize as his <em>I’m only doing this because I have to</em> tone. </p><p>  “Enzan-sama, if you don’t hurry, you’ll be late for school,” Rockman said.</p><p>  Well, at least the blue navi was trying to be helpful, no matter how reluctantly. Enzan walked toward the school, keeping the PET in his hand. Rockman was easier to deal with if he was looking the navi in the eyes.</p><p>  As he got closer to the school, Enzan noticed that the groups of kids in front of him seemed to move out of his way. He turned to look at some of them, but they all refused to meet his eyes. Some of them even back away, as if they thought Enzan would attack him.</p><p>  He opened his mouth to ask Rockman about it, but the thought of giving the blue navi more fuel to thinking his operator was crazy stopped him. He decided to ask about it later, when Rockman was in a better mood. The kids in the halls continued to avoid him after he had entered the building. Even some of the teachers he saw seemed to avoid him, although they were better at covering it up than the students.</p><p><em> What exactly is my reputation here?</em> Enzan wondered. <em>Rotten grades shouldn’t have this much effect on others. There must be something Rockman didn’t tell me, but what?</em></p><p>  He came to the door of classroom 5A before he found the answer. He hesitated, stopping in his tracks.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, is something wrong?” Rockman asked, a note of concern in his voice.</p><p>  “Rockman, what’s that name of my instructor?” Enzan asked, trying to bury the feeling of nervousness he could feel in the pit of his stomach. This didn’t make any sense; he had won countless net-battles without breaking a sweat, negotiated several highly sensitive contacts with CEOs five times his age, and yet he was nervous about entering a classroom.</p><p>  “Mariko-sensei,” Rockman replied.</p><p><em>  Mariko-sensei?</em> Enzan frowned, the name striking a cord in his memory. <em>Why does that sound familiar?</em> He felt like he should know why, yet the answer escaped him.</p><p>  “Hikari Enzan!”</p><p>  Enzan jumped and spun around, his heart pounding. The words had sounded like they were shouted in his ear. Standing behind him was a woman, her arms crossed in front of her and a very annoyed expression on her face. Her brown hair had large curls on the ends, framing her face, and she was wearing a short dress.</p><p>  “Hikari Enzan,” she repeated, her eyes narrowing. “You wouldn’t be thinking about skipping class again, would you?”</p><p>  “What? Of course not,” Enzan replied, bewildered at the woman’s hostile manner.</p><p>  “That’s Mariko-sensei!” Rockman hissed from the PET.</p><p>  “Good,” Mariko said. She grabbed onto Enzan’s vest. “Then you won’t mind if I escort you into the classroom. Class is about to start, after all.”</p><p>  “What?” Enzan asked. He tried to pull away, but her grip was surprisingly strong. “Let go of me!”</p><p>  “She’s your teacher, Enzan-sama!” Rockman said in a louder tone.</p><p>  “I don’t care who she is—” Enzan was yanked into the classroom’s door, his sentence cut off. He struggled against her hold without much success. <em>What is it with all these psycho women I keep meeting?</em></p><p>  “Class, your fellow student has decided to join us today,” Mariko said brightly, releasing Enzan.</p><p>  Enzan pulled away from her, glaring at her over his shoulder, but he was distracted by snickers coming from the rest of the classroom. He turned his head to face the rest of the students, and his eyes grew wide. Most of them were strangers, but three hauntingly familiar faces jumped out at him. They belonged to Sakurai Meiru, Oyama Dekao, and Ayanokoji Yaito, all three good friends of Netto and were often seen with him in one group. All three were looking at him with various expressions of hatred.</p><p>  “Now, if Hikari Enzan would proceed to his desk, we could start class,” Mariko said pointedly.</p><p>  “W-What?” Enzan asked. He hadn’t heard a word Mariko had said.   </p><p>  Mariko pointed at an empty seat near the back. “Go sit down, so that we may start class.”</p><p>  Her tone had been harsh and commanding, and Enzan started walking toward the seat automatically. He heard more snickering, and his face flushed red. She didn’t have any right to boss him around like that; he hadn’t done anything wrong. He sat down heavily on the desk’s chair and plugged Rockman’s PET into the jack almost by instinct.</p><p>  “Man, I hate that guy,” someone muttered. It had sounded like Dekao’s voice.</p><p>  Enzan stared at his desktop, feeling like he didn’t have a friend in the world.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “Phase Two, the Second Day, is commencing as planned.”</p><p>  Miyuki heard the words echo in the small room, and she wondered briefly of their true meaning. As for most of the black suits, the scientists running the project, were concerned, it meant that the subject was experiencing the second day as it had been programmed. As for her secret identity as a Net Agent, it meant she had less time to figure out the project’s true purpose and put a stop to it. This new organization that had suddenly appeared had been around in less time than the fallen World Three had, yet they already were causing more havoc than World Three had ever achieved.</p><p>  “Very good,” a voice said from behind Miyuki. The Net Agent had to try very hard not to jump. The only woman in the group—which wasn’t technically true, but Miyuki was disguised as a man for her cover—leaned over Miyuki’s shoulder and studied her computer screen.</p><p>  “Everything is running smoothly,” Miyuki said, wondering what woman wanted.</p><p>  “Of course,” the woman agreed. “Just like you predicted.”</p><p>  Miyuki had gained an intense disliking for the woman, and it was increasing in the past few seconds. Everything about the woman seemed oily, even her voice.</p><p>  “May I speak to you?” the woman asked in a polite tone.</p><p><em>   Bad sign</em>, Miyuki thought. She touched the small communications device in her pocket, but there was nothing she could do. Help was nowhere to be found. Still, she kept her hand on the communicator, hoping that if something happened, she could warn her fellow Net Agents.</p><p>  “Yes, of course,” she replied. She followed the woman out of the room, her bad feeling getting worse.</p><p>  “You’re one of our brightest scientists,” the woman said as they walked down the hall.</p><p>  “I’m just doing my job,” Miyuki said honestly. Actually, she was failing miserably at her job, which was to discover the true purpose of the project. </p><p>  “The truth is, you are the best we have.” The woman stopped and turned to face Miyuki. “And that’s part of the problem.”</p><p>  “Excuse me?” Miyuki asked politely. Inwardly, she was panicking. They had entered a dark, secluded area of the building. The corridor ended not far away, and Miyuki knew if she turned and ran she would not get far.</p><p>  “You see, we need people smart enough to run the project, but not smart enough to discover its true purpose,” the woman said, smiling coldly. “You’re too smart for your own good, Kuroi Miyuki.”</p><p>  Miyuki gasped and backed away. Several hands grabbed her from behind, preventing her from moving. She was reaching for the communicator as they did, dropping it with a jerk. It clattered on the floor as the woman reached forward and ripped Miyuki’s mask off her face. </p><p> “You see, we can’t have Net Agents discovering our plans before they take action,” the woman said sweetly. </p><p>  “Who are you?” Miyuki gasped.</p><p>  “You will find that out with the rest of the world,” the woman replied. She seemed to think for a moment. “Or maybe you won’t.” Her gaze rested on the communicator, which had words flashing across it. “I see your fellow Net Agents have learned of the recent abductions.”</p><p>  Miyuki stomped on the device. It fractured under her foot, making it useless. “You won’t use that to track our signal,” she said grimly.</p><p>  “Whatever,” the woman said, looking bored. “Put her in the—”</p><p>  That was all Miyuki heard, for something was pressed against her mouth and nose. She remembered smelling something sweet, and hearing the woman speak again. Then she could remember nothing.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Is this how Japanese school systems work, or is it all part of the sinister plot? Or (more likely), I was too lazy to look it up, and hey, it’s plot convenient. Sensei is another suffix I’ve decided to keep, as ‘Teacher Mariko’ sounds stilted and awkward in English.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Interruptions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Enzan stared at his desk miserably. He had tried to pay attention to the teacher, but Mariko was droning on about things he had learned a long time ago, and he soon found the class boring. Hearing the snickers around him about his embarrassing entrance and catching his name in a few whispered conversations didn’t help. If he kept his head down and didn’t speak to anyone, he could make it through the day. It looked as if he wasn’t going to have any trouble not speaking with anyone, since they all avoided him.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  Enzan looked up slightly to see Rockman staring at him from the PET. There was worry in the navi’s green eyes, but Enzan didn’t trust the look. The way Rockman treated him this morning was still fresh in his mind.</p><p>  “What do you want?” he muttered bitterly.</p><p>  “I… I just want to help you,” Rockman said. He looked hurt at Enzan’s tone.</p><p>  “Well, you sure haven’t been trying very hard,” Enzan said. “Just leave me alone. Go talk to your navi friends, or something.”</p><p>  Rockman was silent for a moment.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama,” he whispered. “You really believe you’re not my operator, don’t you?”</p><p>  “What do you think?” Enzan mumbled, refusing to look at the navi. He let his gaze travel the room. His eyes met a pair of dark brown irises, and he was surprised to find Yaito staring at him. Her eyes went wide when she realized she had been spotted, and he gave her a slight smile. Yaito glared daggers at him and turned toward the front of the class.</p><p>  Enzan was surprised to find his feelings hurt. He constantly teased Yaito about her large forehead and her father’s company, but it was never mean-spirited, and Yaito knew that. The look she had given him was full of hate, and Enzan had no idea why.</p><p>  “I’m sorry, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said sadly, catching his attention. Enzan looked down at the navi, and Rockman really did look repentant. He was staring at his hands and fidgeting. “I should have listened to you. I’ll try to be more helpful from now on.”</p><p>  “If you would stop feeling sorry for yourself, <em>that</em> would be helpful,” Enzan snapped.</p><p>  “Hikari Enzan!”</p><p>   Enzan winced, realizing he had been speaking a little too loudly. He glanced up and saw Mariko glaring at him. <em>Great, I got the psycho teacher mad at me</em>.</p><p>  “Since you seem to think your conversation with your navi is more important than what’s being learned in class, maybe you could answer a question for me,” she said. The class tittered, and Enzan decided it was the most annoying sound in the world. With a sigh, he stood up.</p><p>  “In what year did Commodore Perry of the American Navy arrive in Tokyo Bay?” Mariko asked, folding her arms in front of her.</p><p>  “1853,” Enzan answered promptly. “Commodore Perry arrived in Tokyo Bay with warships to convince the Japanese government to open their ports to foreigners.”</p><p>  The entire class gasped and whispered conversations broke out. Mariko looked shocked, staring at Enzan as if he had just announced net navis were materializing in the real world, doing battle with viruses in the streets.</p><p>  “Am I wrong?” he asked coldly.</p><p>  “I…” Mariko seemed speechless. She finally cleared her throat and regained her composure. “No, that was the correct answer. You may sit down.”</p><p>  Enzan sat down, carefully keeping his expression blank. Secretly, he was pleased at her reaction. He felt like he had paid her back for embarrassing him in front of the class.</p><p>  His satisfaction faded as he realized he was being stared at. Yaito peeked at him over her shoulder, looking at him like he had grown horns. Dekao was glaring at him openly, and Meiru was giving him a similar look. The muttering of the class had not stopped, even though Mariko had started speaking again.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  Enzan looked down at his PET, and saw Rockman staring at him with a wide-eyed look. “What?” he asked, thinking the navi had found something wrong.</p><p>  Rockman seemed unable to speak for a moment. “Who are you?” he finally managed to gasp.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>=Transmission Interrupted=</strong>
</p><p> </p><p><strong>  From</strong>: Beef Man</p><p><strong>  To</strong>: The Flower Girl</p><p><strong>  Date</strong>: Wen, 21 May, 6:45</p><p><strong>  Subject</strong>: Flower Arrangement</p><p>  The Queen of Skulls has been unearthed and placed in the jar. A new approach is needed to prevent more technical glitches. The new hour will be when the moon reaches noon’s spot.</p><p>  Sincerely,</p><p>  Fishy</p><p> </p><p><strong>  From</strong>: The Flower Girl</p><p><strong>  To</strong>: Beef Man</p><p><strong>  Date</strong>: Wen, 21 May, 6:56</p><p><strong>  Subject</strong>: Re: Flower Arrangement</p><p>  I have no idea what you’re talking about. Considering we have our net navis deliver the messages themselves, is this stupid code really necessary?</p><p>  Saloma</p><p> </p><p><strong>  From</strong>: Beef Man</p><p><strong>  To</strong>: The Flower Girl</p><p><strong>  Date</strong>: Wen, 21 May, 7:08</p><p><strong>  Subject</strong>: Suit Yourself</p><p>  Excellent point. Miyuki has been discovered, and we assume she has become part of the project. We are going to need a new plan to prevent more abductions. The new meeting time is midnight tonight.</p><p>  Beef</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>=Transmission Resumed=</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>  “I’ve been telling you who I am,” Enzan said impatiently. “I’m not Hikari Enzan!”</p><p>  He dug into his rice with his chopsticks and shoved a large amount in his mouth. It was lunchtime and the students were allowed to leave the classroom to go to the cafeteria. Enzan would have found this an interesting experience if he hadn’t been aware of the stares he was getting from his classmates. He was used to getting attention, but he wasn’t used to it being so hostile. Once in the cafeteria, he had found a lone table to sit at. No one came to sit with him, despite the fact that the room was full of students.</p><p>  “I think I believe you now,” Rockman replied.</p><p>  “Why?” Enzan asked, suddenly suspicious of the navi’s complete turnaround. “What did I do that was so astonishing that I shocked the teacher speechless and caused the others in class to look at me like I’m some sort of freak?”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, you declared at the beginning of school that you would not learn a single thing while attending Akihara Elementary,” Rockman said. “You rigged the speaker system to make this declaration, which all floors heard. In class today, you not only proved you knew what the class was about, but you said something that hadn’t been covered yet.”</p><p>  “I did <em>that</em>?” Enzan asked, amazed.</p><p>  Rockman nodded. “You were nearly suspended for it. Fortunately, they thought suspending a student at the beginning of school would make the school itself look bad.”</p><p>  “You would think with a reputation like that, I would have some kind of cult hero status, or something,” Enzan commented dryly. “Instead, people seem to fear me. They act kind of like <em>you</em>,” he finished pointedly.</p><p>  Rockman looked uncomfortable. “You aren’t very well liked, Enzan-sama,” he said, dodging the last remark.</p><p>  “Why?” Enzan demanded. He looked down and saw to his surprise he had eaten most of his lunch already. Deciding he was finished, he packed the <em>obentou</em> up as he waited for Rockman’s answer.</p><p>  “You have a reputation as a bully,” Rockman admitted. “You’ve gotten in trouble for pushing other students around before.”</p><p>  “What did I do to make Yaito hate me?” Enzan asked.</p><p>  “Ayanokoji Yaito?” Rockman thought for a moment. “She is a relatively new student at this school, Enzan-sama. Her father is the—”</p><p>  “I know who she is,” Enzan interrupted. “The question is why does she hate me?”</p><p>  “On her first day of school, you dipped her braids in black paint,” Rockman answered. “You then laughed and said she looked more Japanese that way. You were given detention for a month, and given a lecture on how cruel and inconsiderate your remarks were. Yaito’s mother was a foreigner, and she died when Yaito was very young.”</p><p>  “Yaito doesn’t have a mother?” Enzan asked softly, looking over his shoulder. At a table not far away, Yaito was sitting with her friends and laughing.</p><p>  “No she doesn’t, Enzan-sama.”</p><p><em>  Then that’s something we have in common</em>, Enzan realized. Out loud he said, “I really did that?”</p><p>  “You’ve done worse, Enzan-sama. In fact, the people she hangs out with—Oyama Dekao, Sakurai Meiru, and Hikawa Tohru from another class—all have had similar experiences involving you.” </p><p>  Hikawa Tohru, Enzan remembered faintly, was the operator of Iceman.EXE. He had been in the N1 Grand Prix, as had most of the others in the group. Yaito had been the only exception, because she was younger and her navi was not designed to net battle.</p><p>  “I don’t even want to know what I did to them,” Enzan said, shaking his head. “So, what brought them together was their mutual hatred of me?”</p><p>  “I couldn’t say,” Rockman said carefully.</p><p>  “It was a theoretical question,” Enzan replied. “That isn’t really important now. Why do you believe I am who I say I am?”</p><p>  “I’m still not sure you are who you say you are,” Rockman admitted. “But I do know my operator would have never known the answer to Mariko-sensei’s question. He never studies anything.”</p><p>  “He’s missing out then.” Enzan’s gaze drifted to a clock on the wall, and he sighed. “When does school get out?”</p><p>  “Not for a while yet, Enzan-sama.”</p><p><em>  This is going to be tough</em>, he thought. “I don’t think I can take much more of this.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>=Transmission Interrupted=</strong>
</p><p> </p><p><strong>  From</strong>: Commander Beef</p><p><strong>  To</strong>: The Person This Concerns</p><p><strong>  Date</strong>: Wen, 21 May, 9:43</p><p><strong>  Subject</strong>: Net Agents</p><p>  I realize you have little reason to care or even trust me. However, the situation is getting worse. You have no doubt heard about the attacks on the Science Labs and the abductions taking place. I doubt you care, but you must realize this is much bigger than the media is claiming. If this continues, the entire Internet is in jeopardy. More people will disappear, and it’s likely you will be next. If you care about nothing else, then this incident will wipe out all knowledge of World Three and their exploits. No one will care about it and World Three’s operation will never revive again. You may very well be dead, as many of us may be, when this is over.</p><p>  We need your assistance in this matter. In order to insure your survival and the survival of others, I am asking you to become a temporary Net Agent. Be warned; the tasks you may be given will be very dangerous, perhaps life-threatening, and I can make no promises on the outcome. With the severity of the situation, however, I must beg you to join us. It may be our last chance.</p><p>  Commander Beef</p><p> </p><p><strong>  From</strong>: The Person This Concerns</p><p><strong>  To</strong>: Commander Beef</p><p><strong>  Date</strong>: Wen, 21 May, 10:13</p><p><strong>  Subject</strong>: You Want Me to Do What?</p><p>  You must be joking. Me, help a Net Agent? Don’t make me laugh.</p><p> </p><p><strong>  From</strong>: Commander Beef</p><p><strong>  To</strong>: The Person This Concerns</p><p><strong>  Date</strong>: Wen, 21 May, 10:23</p><p><strong>  Subject</strong>: Re: You Want Me to Do What?</p><p>  I am perfectly serious. Turn on the news, and rethink your answer.</p><p> </p><p><strong>  From</strong>: The Person This Concerns</p><p><strong>  To</strong>: Commander Beef</p><p><strong>  Date</strong>: Wen, 21 May, 10:58</p><p><strong>  Subject</strong>: Re: Re: You Want Me to Do What?</p><p>  Changed my mind. I’ll help. It could be interesting, and besides, it’s been a long time since we had something truly interesting to do.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>=Transmission Resumed=</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>According to the Official Complete Works, Yaito does have a mom who she tends to get some of her worst tendencies from. This wasn’t known at the time of writing (and since both she and Yaito’s dad only exist in sketches, I’m not sure if either made it into the games or anime other than a brief reference.) The advantage of knowing canon as a fanfic writer is being able to completely throw it out the window.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Fiery Help</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Enzan felt like stumbling out of the school. The day had been long and boring, yet he felt drained, like someone had sucked out all of his energy. He had not been called on again, and for the rest of school day, he was pretty much ignored by both the students and the teacher. At least that was one thing to be grateful for.</p><p>  “How can people stand this?” he groaned softly. He was walking down the halls, making his way slowly to the exit.</p><p>  “Stand what, Enzan-sama?” Rockman asked. Since their conversation in the cafeteria, the blue navi had grown friendlier. He had either realized he didn’t need to fear Enzan or had realized his fear of Enzan was the very thing that annoyed the boy.</p><p>  “Going to school,” Enzan replied. “It’s so <em>boring</em>. I learned everything we covered in class years ago.”</p><p>  “Not everyone is a genius,” Rockman pointed out. “Most people have to go to school.”</p><p>  “There’s got to be an easier way,” Enzan argued back. “That’s just…” Enzan drifted off. They were nearly at the exit, and most of the students had disappeared.</p><p>  Rockman frowned. “Enzan-sama?”</p><p>  “Be quiet for a second,” Enzan replied softly. He crept up to the entrance and leaned against a pillar next to the door, out of sight from the other side of the clear sliding doors. Soon the voices he had heard got louder.</p><p>  “I really can’t stand that jerk!” Meiru snapped as the door opened. She stepped through and stopped just within Enzan’s eyesight, turning to face someone.</p><p>  “I know what you mean,” Dekao said loudly, his voice echoing down the hall. “First he pulls all these stunts, then he pretends he’s some kind of genius just because he answered a question right.”</p><p>  “That’s the weird thing,” a voice Enzan didn’t recognize said. “He seems so determined to flunk everything, yet why would he get something like that right? It doesn’t make sense.”</p><p>  Both Dekao and the boy Enzan thought looked familiar—Hikawa Tohru, it must be—stepped into view. He tried to press himself against the pillar more. If any of them looked in his direction, they would see him right away. Yaito was not far behind.</p><p>  “Maybe he’s up to something,” Yaito suggested, pulling one of her braids over her shoulder. “After all, being forced into the classroom by Mariko-sensei was humiliating. Maybe he’s seeking some kind of revenge.”</p><p>  “Yeah, but how?” Dekao asked.</p><p>  “That’s a good question, guts,” said a voice from his PET, which was hanging by a cord around his neck.</p><p><em>  Dekao’s navi Gutsman</em>, Enzan thought. <em>No other navi says guts.</em></p><p>  “I think he should just leave Akihara Elementary,” Meiru said firmly. “I mean, it’s obvious that he doesn’t want to be here, and all he’s doing is giving the school a bad name.”</p><p>  “If that’s how you feel, maybe I will,” Enzan said coldly, stepping away from the pillar. The small group gasped and backed away from him as if he was some kind of monster. Yaito bit her lip and grabbed one of her braids, hiding slightly behind Dekao.</p><p>  Her fear made Enzan angry. Extremely angry. He walked passed the group without sparing them a glance and stomped down the steps.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama? Are you okay?” Rockman asked worriedly.</p><p>  “No,” Enzan said through clenched teeth. “Your operator is a jerk, Rockman. The biggest jerk to ever cross the face of the planet.”</p><p>  Rockman was silent.</p><p>  “How could anyone do that?” Enzan spat, still continuing to rant. “Doesn’t he understand what it feels like? How could he be so inconsiderate?”</p><p>  “You’re talking about Yaito, aren’t you?” Rockman asked quietly.</p><p>  “Yes!” Enzan snapped. “Doesn’t your operator have any feelings at all?”</p><p>  Rockman remembered Enzan saying earlier that he didn’t have a mother. He forgot all about it, but now that he was sure Enzan wasn’t his operator, the words had a whole new meaning.</p><p>  “It’s hard not having your father, either,” Rockman pointed out. “And you didn’t know she didn’t have a mother.”</p><p>  “But I didn’t care once I found out, did I?” Enzan asked bitterly.</p><p>  “Not that I could tell,” Rockman said in a small voice.</p><p>  Enzan sighed. He pulled out the blue PET from its carrying case, so different from his red one, and looked at Rockman. “I’m getting upset for no reason,” he said softly. “This is just really hard for me, and I’m taking it out on you. I have no right to do that. I’m sorry.”</p><p>  “It—I mean—you don’t have to apologize, Enzan-sama,” Rockman stammered. “I understand you’re still getting used to things.”</p><p>  “Still, I shouldn’t be cruel to you. There’s no excuse for that,” Enzan replied.</p><p>  Rockman rubbed the back of his head, looking sheepish. “Um… how did you like Hikari-san’s food?” he asked.</p><p>  Enzan was surprised at the question until he realized Rockman was trying to change the subject to something lighter. “It was probably one of the best homemade meals I’ve had.”</p><p>  “Really?” Rockman asked, smiling slightly. “Hikari-san is a great cook.”</p><p>  He had said the words with pride, and Enzan wondered if the hatred was exclusively on Haruka’s side. Rockman had never struck him as the type to hate someone just because the person hated him. Instead, he seemed to be the kind who would try to make friends with all he could. However, that was the blue navi Enzan knew. He knew this Rockman was different in some ways, and that could include hating people.</p><p>  “Well, she’s better at it than me,” Enzan said ruefully. “I can never get my rice balls in the right shape, and I always burn the <em>miso</em> soup.”</p><p>  “I didn’t know you could burn <em>miso</em> soup,” Rockman exclaimed. Enzan could see the navi was trying not to laugh.</p><p>  “Somehow I manage it,” Enzan admitted. For some reason, seeing Rockman happiness cheered him up. He wanted to hear the navi laugh and see him smile. Maybe it was because the Rockman he knew was naturally cheerful, and this Rockman’s careful obedience was eerie. Maybe it was because Rockman’s recent behavior uncomfortably reminded him of a poor imitation of Blues.</p><p>  Maybe it was because Enzan needed all the help he could get.</p><p>  “Rockman,” he said, slowing down. “Let’s not go home just yet. I want to look around town a bit.”</p><p>  “As you wish, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said cheerfully. “Akihara isn’t as large as Densan City, but there’s still some places of interest.”</p><p>  Enzan turned a corner, abruptly veering off the way he had been going. As he walked, he wondered more about Rockman’s behavior. At first, the perfect yet terrified obedience of Rockman had bothered Enzan. He preferred obedience from navis, but the fear was something he wasn’t used to, and it disturbed him. He didn’t like seeing Rockman—or any navi—cower in fear of him just because he had the advantage, especially if he was the operator.</p><p>  Then Rockman had switched to cautiously humoring his operator when he had thought Enzan wasn’t right in the head. The fear was still there, but it wasn’t as strong as before, allowing Rockman to be bolder than he normally would be. Still, he had continued to believe Enzan was his operator and had seemed to live in fear of the moment when the boy would “regain” his memories. The second Enzan expressed any anger, Rockman was back to his old habits.</p><p>  It was odd, but Rockman didn’t seem to mind that Enzan wasn’t his operator. Even though he still referred to Enzan as his operator, he seemed almost happy that the real Hikari Enzan was no longer around</p><p><em>  Then again, with everything he’s been telling me, why would anyone be sorry if that jerk was gone?</em> Enzan thought.</p><p>  “Rockman—” Enzan hesitated. He wasn’t sure he wanted to ask this question, but it had been bothering him for some time now. “Rockman, how did your operator treat you?”</p><p>  Rockman’s expression seemed to freeze. “What do you mean, Enzan-sama?” he asked nervously.</p><p>  “I want to know how he treated you,” Enzan repeated. They were now traveling down the business section of town, and many colorful signs and advertisements caught Enzan’s eye. He tried to ignore them, concentrating on the conversation.</p><p>  “He—he—” Rockman stammered. “You are my operator, Enzan-sama. Isn’t that enough?”</p><p>  Rockman had fallen back on his old argument, one he had already admitted couldn’t be true. Enzan raised an eyebrow, but decided to let the subject drop. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know anymore horrible things “he” had done.</p><p>  “Rockman, what is—” Enzan froze, cutting himself off. He had stopped in mid-step and was staring at a poster on the side of a building.</p><p>   “Enzan-sama, what’s wrong?” Rockman asked.</p><p>  “That sign…” Enzan trailed off. He walked forward in a jerky motion, his hand reaching out to touch the poster.</p><p>  Rockman strained to see what Enzan was looking at, but the PET was hanging by Enzan’s limp arm and the angle blocked his view. “I do not see what you mean,” he said.</p><p>  Enzan jerked his hand up so Rockman could see. He stopped short of touching the sign and had let his hand drop to his side. He was staring at the poster, but his eyes were distant, seeing something else.</p><p>  He looked to Rockman like he was in a state of shock. Suddenly fearful of this new change, Rockman shifted his focus to the sign. “The N1 Grand Prix,” Rockman said thoughtfully, skimming the information on the poster. “Enzan-sama, what’s wrong? You don’t… want to enter, do you?”</p><p>  “This is wrong…” Enzan whispered. “Rockman, tell me the date. The <em>exact</em> date.”</p><p>  Enzan’s tone had a new edge to it, and Rockman cringed out of habit. He told Enzan the date, year, and time, rattling it off fearfully. “Is something wrong?” he asked, his voice quivering.</p><p>  “Two months…” Enzan whispered. “Nearly two months…”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, please,” Rockman begged, his voice still shaking. “I want to help you, but I can’t if you don’t tell me what is wrong.”</p><p>  Enzan was silent for a long moment, trying to calm down. <em>Think, idiot</em>, he told himself mentally. <em>Blind panic will get you nowhere. You have to think in order to accomplish anything!</em> He concentrated on slowing his breathing, and after what had seemed like hours, he managed to regain his normal composure.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama?”</p><p>  “I’m okay, Rockman,” Enzan assured the navi.</p><p>  “Please tell me what’s wrong,” Rockman begged. Enzan’s sudden mood swings, so different from his regular cold self, were really beginning to scare him. Sure, he preferred a friendly operator to an angry operator, but Enzan was becoming unpredictable.</p><p>  Enzan took a step back and looked at the building more closely. <em>Higureya… why does that sound so familiar?</em> Enzan cursed softly, his memory failing him again. He sighed. “I will explain everything, Rockman, but first I have to answer some of my own questions.”</p><p>  He entered the shop and looked around. It was not very large, with shelves and walls lined with battle chips, PET models, and other accessories, both for business and the fun that went with owning a navi.</p><p>  “It’s a chip shop,” Rockman observed.</p><p>  Enzan raised an eyebrow. “Do you always state the obvious?”</p><p>  “Sorry, Enzan-sama,” Rockman whispered.</p><p>  Enzan blinked, surprised. “It was just a question, you don’t—”</p><p>  “May I help you?”</p><p>  Enzan looked up to see a man staring at him from behind the desk. That struck him as odd, because the shop had been empty a moment before and Enzan hadn’t seen the man enter. The man’s brown hair was extremely messy and stuck out in all directions. He wore square-shaped glasses, and Enzan couldn’t see his eyes.</p><p><em>  I know him</em>, a voice in the back of his mind said. <em>He was one of the announcers in the N1 Grand Prix.</em></p><p>  “That sign outside,” Enzan began. He marveled briefly at the calmness in his voice after his moment of panic outside the store.</p><p>  “The N1 Grand Prix!” the man cut him off, his voice filled with excitement. “Of course you want to ask about that! It’s coming up, you know, and all those who are interested should enter.”</p><p>  “I’m interested,” Enzan said firmly. Rockman emitted a small gasp from the PET, but when Enzan glanced at the device, the navi was not visible.</p><p>  “Great!” the man enthused. “The more, the better! Come over here so I can sign you up right now!”</p><p>  Enzan approached the desk as the brown-haired man shifted through some papers. There was something else about the man, he remembered. He was a chip <em>otaku</em>, a fanatic who coveted all rare chips. A bad trait to have when running a chip shop.</p><p>  “Here it is!” the man exclaimed, pulling out a piece of paper. He set it down before Enzan and pointed at a blank space. “So, I bet you’re an avid net-battler, eh? Most kids your age are. I remember when I was that young…”</p><p>  Enzan tuned the man out as he wrote his name. He had to cross out the beginning characters of Ijuuin when he remembered his current predicament, and wrote Hikari Enzan instead. It felt odd, like he had resided himself to being Hikari Enzan for the rest of his life, and he angrily dismissed the feeling.</p><p>  “Fantastic!” the man cried when he saw Enzan finish. “Now all I have to do is write my name besides yours as a sponsor—”</p><p>  “Sponsor?” Enzan repeated.</p><p>  “Yeah, it’s more of a benefit thing than anything else. If you sign up through a chip shop like one owned by the great Higure Yamitaro—me—you have access to discounts, that sort of thing.” Higure wrote his name quickly and paused to read the paper. He frowned suddenly and gave Enzan an odd look.</p><p>  “Anything wrong?” Enzan asked, his voice cold. Higure was looking at him in almost the same way his classmates had looked at him.</p><p>  “Hikari Enzan, is it?” Higure asked.</p><p>  Enzan nodded tensely, clenching his fist. He knew what would come next, and he was dreading it.</p><p>  “Hikari… I know that name…” Higure trailed off, thinking. “That’s the name of that idiot who nearly blew up the Science Labs!”</p><p>  “Don’t you dare insult Papa!” Rockman roared from the PET in Enzan’s hand. Enzan glanced down to see Rockman looking madder than he had ever thought was possible for the blue navi. His green eyes were livid with rage and he was clenching his fists tightly. “Don’t ever say that!” Rockman yelled again.</p><p>  Higure was taken aback. “I—”</p><p>  “Take it back!” Rockman shouted. “Papa is not an idiot!”</p><p>  “Rockman!” Enzan barked. “That’s enough!”</p><p>  Rockman fell silent. Higure still looked shocked at the turn of events. Without another word, Enzan turned and left the store. His face felt hot and he gripped the PET with a shaking white hand. He continued down the road, going back the way he had come. His desire to explore the town had died.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, I’m so sorry,” Rockman whispered from the PET, his shoulders slumped.</p><p>  Enzan glared at the PET and the navi inside of it. “If you had let me handle it, we would have gotten out without causing a scene!”</p><p>  Rockman nodded. “I know, Enzan-sama. I’ve disappointed you again. I’m so sorry! I’ll—I’ll be punished f-for it.”</p><p>  “What?” Enzan asked, frowning. “I didn’t—”</p><p>  The PET beeped, and several windows popped up. Rockman reached out and hesitantly touched one. Instantly the screen started glowing red.</p><p>  “What the <em>hell</em>—”</p><p>  Before he could finish the sentence, Rockman was screaming. What looked like red electricity danced around his body, and he clutched his chest as if it pained him. The entire screen was tinged in bright red, and no matter what Enzan tried, he couldn’t get it to stop.</p><p>  “Stop, turn it off!” Enzan yelled, horrified. “ROCKMAN!”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Saloma ran through the door, panting. A costumer had held her up at her flower shop, and she thought she was going to be late. She paused in the shadow-filled room to catch her breath.</p><p>  “I see you’re here.”</p><p>  “Commander Beef,” Saloma said, trying not to jump. “I’m sorry I’m late.”</p><p>  Commander Beef stepped out of the shadows, wearing his normal fish-shaped helmet and cape. He gestured for Saloma to have a seat. She sat in one of the chairs at the large conference table, noting sadly the empty seat that was usually Miyuki’s spot.</p><p>  “That’s all right,” Beef said, moving to his own chair. “However, we must get down to business.”</p><p>  “Right,” Saloma said, nodding.</p><p>  Commander Beef took a breath. “As you know, the mission has hit critical. Our undercover agent has been discovered, and more people were abducted. The Science Labs took another heavy blow from a failed invasion attempt.”</p><p>  “Are they really invasion attempts?” Saloma asked. “They seem more intended to wear the defenses down.”</p><p>  “Exactly,” Beef said, nodding. “The attack strategy of our opponents resembles a castle under siege. They know they have us cornered.”</p><p>  “What can we do?” Saloma asked.</p><p>  “First off, we need to gather more supporters,” Beef replied. “We need more help, and it’s rapidly being stolen away by the abductors.”</p><p>  “What about infiltration?” Saloma asked. “We know where the base of operations is. The way they have it set up, there’s nothing we could do, but if I—”</p><p>  “No,” Beef cut her off firmly. “We need you here. They discovered Miyuki easily; you’ll be another easy target.”</p><p>  “But then what can we do?” Saloma cried.</p><p>  “I have another plan,” Beef said carefully. “We will have an undercover agent, but it won’t be you. It seems that sabotage within the project may be our only hope—”</p><p>  “That’s too dangerous!” Saloma cried. “What if they get stuck there? What if the orga—”</p><p>  “I realize there’s a lot of risks,” Beef cut in smoothly. “But the point is we have no choice now. Miyuki has already been integrated into the project; her help is lost to us. However, by sabotage from within, we may be able to stop them from reaching their goal.”</p><p>  “But who would do it?” Saloma asked. “We need you here, and anyone else… I mean, the risks alone—”</p><p>  “Apparently, your boss has found someone willing to take those risks.”</p><p>  Saloma bolted from her chair and whirled to face the newcomer. He stepped out of the shadowy doorway, the dim light catching on his long red hair and red goatee. He smiled wickedly at Saloma.</p><p>  “You!” Saloma gasped.</p><p>  “Sounds like fun,” Hino Kenichi said cheerfully. “When do Fireman and I start?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Truly Blue, Inside and Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Enzan stared out the baloney window in his room, still shaken. His musings all reached the same conclusion, something he didn’t want to consider. <em>Rockman…</em>The memory of what had happened on the way home recycled in his head, and he could not banish it away.</p><p>
  <em>  “Stop it; turn it off!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  Rockman’s body continued to convulse and his screams began higher in pitch. Enzan searched desperately for a way to stop what was happening, but he didn’t even know which program had instigated it. With the PET, there wasn’t much he could do anyway. It was designed for the navi to do all the work while the operator supported the navi.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  Suddenly the background snapped into the normal blue color, and the screaming stopped. Enzan searched the PET frantically, but Rockman was not visible.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “Rockman…” he whispered.</em>
</p><p>  Enzan closed his eyes. The memory was fresh, but he knew the pain it brought him would last as long as he could remember. He had been forced to walk home on his own because Rockman hadn’t answered his calls, and even now, an hour after the event, Rockman still did not respond. Enzan was worried that something had been wrong, but he was also afraid of trying to remotely forcing his way into the PET and finding the problem. He knew he didn’t have the equipment to do that without taking the risk of hurting the blue navi.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  Enzan turned around. The PET was resting in the charger and Rockman was finally visible on the screen. His head was bent forward and his hands were behind his back.</p><p>  “Rockman…” Enzan walked over to the desk and crouched so he was face-to-face with the navi. “Rockman, are you all right?”</p><p>  “The punishing takes some time to recover from,” Rockman answered dully.</p><p>“That’s not what I asked you,” Enzan snapped.</p><p>  Rockman jumped on the screen, looking nervous.</p><p>  “Are you okay, Rockman?” Enzan asked again, his voice gentler than it had been before. “Are you damaged in some way?”</p><p>  “N-no,” Rockman replied. His eyes were wide and frightened.</p><p>  “Then never, ever do that again,” Enzan said roughly, his voice thick. “You hear me? Don’t ever do that. <em>Ever</em>.”</p><p>  “If that is what you want, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said softly.</p><p>  Enzan slammed his fist on the desk. “No! I don’t want some of your recycled obedience, I want you to promise me and mean it. Don’t you understand, Rockman? You scared me to <em>death</em>. You were in pain, and I had no way to help you or stop it.”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, why would you care?” Rockman asked, his voice bitter. “You are the one who created the punishment. Why would you be so upset when I deserve it?”</p><p>  “I am <em>not</em> your operator, and I have nothing to do with that sick practice,” Enzan spat. He sighed, trying to calm down. His anger didn’t help the situation. “I’m all alone here, and you’re the only one who can help me. But there’s more than that. You don’t deserve to be punished for anything and certainly not for defending your creator. I don’t want you hurt, Rockman.”</p><p>  Rockman looked up. His eyes were filled with pain, his voice flat as he responded. “As you say now. Tomorrow, if you remember your past, will you repeat those words?”</p><p>  This time it was Enzan’s turn to look away. “Rockman, all I can do is insist that I’m not your operator. I can’t say how he will react, because I don’t know. I don’t know anything until you tell me.”</p><p>  He looked back at the navi, his eyes piercing. “You need to tell me about your past with your operator, and I will <em>order</em> you to do it if you refuse.”</p><p>  “As you wish, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said, his voice carrying no emotion. “What do you want to know?”</p><p>  “Everything,” Enzan said, sitting down. He felt guilty for making Rockman do this, but he couldn’t put up with not knowing any longer. “Start from the beginning, and work up from there.”</p><p>  “As you wish,” Rockman said. He was silent for a moment, as if he was gathering his thoughts. “I was created by Dr. Hikari to be a custom net navi for his son, Enzan. Papa was a very busy man because he was the head of his department and one of the top scientists at the Science Labs. He traveled around the world lecturing on navigational technology and assisting other organizations. His family missed him, but they understood how hard his work was.”</p><p>  Rockman paused, like he didn’t want to go on, but Enzan gave him an order. “When his son’s eleventh birthday was approaching, he started spending more time away from home. He told his son it was more work, but in reality he had started working on me. I remember how gleeful he was at having such a great present for his son.”</p><p>  Rockman fell silent, unable to meet Enzan’s eyes.</p><p>  “I know this is painful, but I need to know what happened,” Enzan said quietly.</p><p>  “You already do know all of this and you’re just playing with me, as far as I know,” Rockman replied sharply. Before Enzan could protest, he continued.</p><p>  “The day of my operator’s birthday was the happiest day of my life. He was overjoyed at finally having a custom net navi, and I was overjoyed to finally meet the operator Papa had been telling me about. Over the next few days, we grew used to each other. Our personalities clashed, and we argued sometimes, but we were still…” Rockman trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.</p><p>  Enzan sensed Rockman’s hesitation. “And a few days later, Dr. Hikari lost his job.”</p><p>  “Yes,” Rockman replied, taking a breath. “Things were fine at first. Hikari-san and my operator were shocked, but they were ready to support Papa. And for some time after that, we were fine. But after a while, Papa couldn’t find a job. Hikari-san had to get one, and it made her tired and cranky. My operator became withdrawn, and he started snapping at me when I didn’t do what he wanted fast enough. I thought if I just waited, things would get better, but they didn’t. Hikari-san started to get irritated at the sight of me and my PET. She would yell at my operator for leaving the PET out in the open, or putting it on the table during dinner.”</p><p>  Enzan tried to picture it, as Rockman spoke, but the idea of a loving household turned cold was hard to grasp. His home had always been cold.</p><p>  “Papa began to come home drunk, when he even came home at all. My operator grew more depressed over time. He dyed his hair back to its natural color when the white part started to grow out. He began to get into fist-fights at school, and his grades dropped. Hikari-san had fights with Papa when he came home, loud fights. The whole neighborhood could hear them. My operator tried not to listen, but…”</p><p>  “Did they mention you?” Enzan asked quietly.</p><p>  “Sometimes,” Rockman whispered, staring at his hands. “They would just hurl insults at each other, but sometimes they talked about me. Papa argued that I was a gift to make up for his absence; Hikari-san said I was one of the reasons he was gone so much. My operator heard every word. At school, things got worse for him. My operator liked to net-battle, and we were good at it originally. But then I started losing battles time after time, and I just couldn’t figure out why. He got angrier and angrier after each loss, and he—he—”</p><p>  “He designed the punishment,” Enzan finished grimly.</p><p>  Rockman nodded. “It’s nothing more than a simple electrical pulse that draws energy from my own supply. He didn’t intend to use it at first—he just wanted to see if he could do it—but one time he just got so mad… and then after, he started hesitating less and less. The punishment didn’t help my net-battling skills. Finally, he stopped net-battling because he said I was too slow and stupid to do it right.”</p><p>  “But the punishment didn’t go away. Instead, it increased,” Enzan replied grimly. “He started applying it more and more for other mistakes. But he wasn’t just satisfied with hurting you; he had to take it out on other people. Eventually, he became hated at school and by others who know him. Even those who didn’t know him well enough to hate him would laugh because of his father’s reputation. His grades got so bad he was held back, his father came home less and less, and his mother took out all of her frustrations on you. Am I right?”</p><p>  Rockman made a sobbing noise. Enzan blinked and leaned closer to the PET. “Rockman?”</p><p>  The navi rubbed at his eyes, but he couldn’t contain his sobs. “I—I—I’m sorry!” he cried.</p><p><em>  Oh, no</em>, Enzan thought in horror. <em>He’s crying… he’s actually crying!</em></p><p>“Rockman…” he said helplessly. “It’s all right. None of this is your fault; none of it! It’s okay.”</p><p>  Rockman continued to sob. Tears trickled down his face, and he tried to hide them in shame.</p><p>  “No, don’t,” Enzan said, trying to make his voice soothing. In desperation, he pulled the PET from the charger and held it in his hands. “You don’t have to be sorry for anything.”</p><p>  “I’m so weak!” Rockman cried, looking at Enzan at last. “If I were stronger, I could have helped him! Losing those netbattles was only proof that I wasn’t strong enough. I’m worthless.”</p><p><em>  Worthless…</em> The word echoed in Enzan’s head. He knew the feeling of worthlessness all too well. Silently, he stood up and went to the bed. Holding the PET in one hand, he slowly laid down on his back. He rested the PET on his chest, facing up, and stared at the ceiling.</p><p>  “Sometimes things happen, Rockman,” Enzan said softly. “Things you can’t control. No matter how guilty you feel, they’re not your fault. All you can do is continue to live and try to do better. Can you sense my heartbeat?”</p><p>  “Yes,” Rockman replied hesitantly.</p><p>  “Concentrate on it,” Enzan said, closing his eyes. “Try to let the sound calm you down. It will make you feel better.”</p><p>  “Thank you, Enzan-sama,” Rockman whispered.</p><p>  Enzan did not reply, pretending to be asleep. <em>You shouldn’t thank me</em>, he thought. <em>According to your memory, I’m the one who hurt you so much</em>.</p><p>What Rockman had gone through wasn’t right. No one should be abused in that way, navi or human. The very idea of it nearly sent Enzan into a rage, but one thing sobered him. The one who had done all of that to Rockman… was himself.</p><p>  So it wasn’t exactly him. So this wasn’t his real life, how he got here was still a mystery, and he wasn’t responsible for what his counterpart had done. But it didn’t take much of a stretch to say if it had been him, and everything that had happened to Rockman’s operator had happened to him, he would have done the same thing.</p><p><em>  No, that’s not true!</em> He shook his head, trying to banish the conclusion. So what if Rockman’s operator had a hard life? His life had been hard too, and he had gotten over it.</p><p>  But he had been hardened by what had happened to him, just like Rockman’s operator. He had learned the hard way how to be ruthless in business, and he applied to net-battling when necessary. He had believed that navis were tools to be used, not friends to be made for so long…</p><p>  What if Rockman’s operator had thought the same thing? When his ‘tool’ continued to fail him, it wasn’t a hard stretch to begin punishing the navi for not doing its job. After all, what good is a defective tool?</p><p><em>  A navi is more than a tool</em>, Enzan told himself. <em>A navi is more than mere data… Rockman, the</em> real <em>Rockman, taught me that. Yet still, Blues and I are no closer than we were before meeting Hikari and his navi. Why? Does Blues think that I cannot change? Does he fear me, like this Rockman? If he does… then have I really changed? Am I no better?</em></p><p>  Enzan felt the grip of sleep tightening on his consciousness, and he had no desire to fight it. His thoughts started to run together and stopped making sense. He saw Blues morphing into Rockman, Rockman scream in pain and morphing back into Blues, still screaming silently. Enzan finally drifted off into an uneasy sleep, the PET still resting on his chest.</p><p># # #</p><p>   “We’re glad you offered your help, Mister…”</p><p>  “Hino Kenichi,” Hino Ken offered. “Most call me Hino Ken.”</p><p>  “Very well, Hino-san,” the woman said stiffly. She wore a black, shapeless suit. It was unattractive on her.</p><p>  Hino Ken gritted his teeth in annoyance, but he kept his lips curved in a smile. The woman had known perfectly well what his name was, and she didn’t seem the type to forget such an important detail like that.</p><p>  “I’m afraid, however, we have all the help we need,” the woman said dreamily. Her eyes softened, seeing something besides Hino Ken and the small meeting room. Hino Ken knew that look. It was one he had seen on Wily’s face many times. It was the look of someone completely devoted to what they were doing. It was also the look of a madman.</p><p>  Or, in this case, a madwoman.</p><p>  “Immersion is not for everyone,” she continued, snapping back to reality.</p><p>  “Immersion?” Hino Ken repeated. He narrowed his eyes. “That’s the same name of your front company.”</p><p>  “Yes,” The woman replied, sounding suspicious.</p><p>  “Now why would you use the same name for your net mafia?” Hino Ken asked.</p><p>   The woman laughed. “Net mafia? You have got us all wrong, Hino Kenichi, formerly of World Three. We are not a net mafia. We seek to recreate the real world, not that fake, sad copy of it.”</p><p>  “Using the Net World?” Hino Ken replied bluntly, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>  The woman’s eyes grew wide, and she immediately gave him her full attention. “How did you hear about the Net World?” she demanded</p><p>  Hino Ken laughed. “You aren’t exactly being very careful about it. Even the Net Agents have heard about your ‘project’ and what it entails.”</p><p>  “Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong,” the woman said, smiling slightly. “The Net Agents know nothing of what the Net World really is, or its purpose. No one will know until it’s too late.”</p><p>  She folded her hands together, eyes narrowed. “I find it curious that you would know so much.”</p><p>  “I am formerly of World Three, as you have said,” Hino Ken said. “I make it my business to know about the latest organization trying to reshape the world. The Net Agents think they’re good, but they have nothing compared to others. Besides, I figured I might as well get into the scheme before I become a victim of it.”</p><p>  “Very wise,” the woman said, relaxing. “What is your proposition, Hino Kenichi?”</p><p>  “This Net World,” Hino Ken said reluctantly. “It sounds rather interesting… I take it you have little control over what happens there?”</p><p>  The woman stiffened. “The computers do their best, but free will is always a chaotic factor.”</p><p>  “I see,” Hino Ken replied thoughtfully. “What if I were to make you an offer? This world you’ve created sounds rather interesting. In return for a few promises of yours, I would willingly be… integrated, I think is the term you use.”</p><p>  “Why?” the woman asked skeptically. “You would be completely in our hands.”</p><p>  “To tell you the truth… revenge.” Hino Ken crossed his arms and gave her a serious look. “I still have issues to settle with the one who destroyed World Three. This Net World sounds like the perfect opportunity to do it.”</p><p>  “I see,” the woman replied. “You realize you would have to put it off until we are done with him.”</p><p>  “Yes,” Hino Ken said. “I wanted to offer to go willingly so I wouldn’t go unwillingly, like some.”</p><p>  The woman smiled thinly. “A very wise move on your part. I think we do have a position for you, Mr. Hino. It would be very useful to have someone on the inside. Now, if you’ll come with me, we can discuss this further…”</p><p><em>  Looks like I’m in</em>, Hino Ken thought. <em>Now, all I need is time to send off my special report. I hope Fireman and I can pull this off…</em></p><p># # #</p><p>  “Have you heard from him yet?” Saloma asked.</p><p>  “No,” Commander Beef replied, studying the charts on the computer screen.</p><p>  “I knew it was a mistake to ask him,” Saloma mumbled, crossing her arms. The computer beeped, as if to add an emphasis to her words.</p><p>  Beef scanned the window that had popped up and smiled slightly. “Take a look at this.”</p><p>  Saloma leaned over his shoulder and read the message.</p><p>
  <strong>  Report from Agent WWW</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  Immersion is the name of a little-known gaming company. They specialize in virtual reality games and are known for their quality. They are small, however, and not very wealthy, so they are under the radar of many big businesses. Upon setting out on my mission, I have discovered—as we knew—that the company was a front for the new organization. The organization has taken the same name as the company—Immersion—which may be why they haven’t announced their presence to the rest of the world yet. This organization claims to have no interest in the Internet, yet they readily use it for their purposes. They are also responsible for the recent kidnappings. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  I will be integrated into the Net World, their codename for the project, within an hour. It is short for a Network-created World, their “network” being sustained by the large amount of machinery they store in their main building. From then on, I will lose all contact with the outside world. I still am not any closer to the true plan of Immersion or the purpose the Net World. I cannot guarantee any results, but I will try to help the subject realize the truth of his situation. The Net World cannot be stopped from the outside and from the inside the subject may be the only one who can stop it.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  By the way, Beef, don’t forget your promise. If you do and I find out, I will come back from the dead if necessary to seek revenge.</strong>
</p><p>  “So even he will admit that the subject is our best chance,” Beef commented, amused.</p><p>  Saloma frowned as she read the message.</p><p>  “What does he mean, your promise?” she asked.</p><p>  Commander Beef waved a hand. “I’ll tell you later. Right now, we must commence with the second phase of our plan.”</p><p>  Saloma nodded and followed Beef out of the room.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chance Encounters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Enzan tapped the desk impatiently. It was finally the last day of class, two weeks after the “punishment” incident at Higure’s chip shop. He had completed the final exam fifteen minutes ago and had at least thirty minutes left before he could leave. The clock on the far wall was moving slower than molasses.</p><p>  For the testing, he had not been allowed to put his PET in its normal place. Instead, Rockman, contained in the PET, was forced to stay in the PET’s carrying case on Enzan’s belt. Enzan made an irritated noise, frustrated with it all, and began doodling on a piece of scratch paper.</p><p>  The last two weeks had been agonizing for him. School inched by like the building was stuck in a time warp (the students still hated him, especially Netto’s band of friends). He had started passing tests and turning in completed homework, but that only got him sent to the principal on the accusation of cheating. With no evidence, they had no choice but to let him continue, yet the whole experience had dampened Enzan’s spirits even more. Still, he kept getting good grades and passing tests. It would have been even more demeaning to fall into the trap of giving up.</p><p>  His relationship with Rockman had improved, but only slightly. The navi still humored him most of the time. Although some of the fear was gone, it was not replaced by trust. Rockman had been hurt too deeply to trust so easily.</p><p>  Enzan couldn’t blame him; however, Rockman’s unwillingness to cooperate left the boy no closer to solving the mystery of how he got here. He wasn’t even sure of where “here” was. This place wasn’t surreal at all; instead, the realness of this place was so stark, it was painful at times. Enzan had gone over theory after theory in his mind, and the only thing he could come up with was this was another reality, one all twisted up and wrong.</p><p>  He sighed. <em>The reality theory</em>, as he called it, was too close to science fiction for his comfort, but he had nothing better to explain his current predicament. And it didn’t explain why he was stuck two months in the past. The N1 Grand Prix had come and gone already.</p><p>  Even if he could accept the time difference, why did he seem to be in his counterpart’s body? Where had Hikari Enzan gone? Had he taken over Enzan’s life? Would be as quick to hurt Blues as he had been to hurt Rockman?</p><p>  Enzan felt like slamming his head against the desk, and settled for glaring at it instead. He spent his time reading company reports, not science fiction books or comics. If he had, maybe this would make more sense to him.</p><p>  <em>No wonder Rockman thinks I’m crazy</em>.</p><p>  That thought brought him to another topic. He wasn’t used to having to explain himself. It was out of character for him, but he needed to ask questions of Rockman in order to get the answers he sought. The blue navi certainly wouldn’t offer the information.</p><p><em>But then, why would he?</em> Enzan thought. <em>A part of him still believes I’m his operator, just gone strange in the head. </em></p><p>  “All right, class,” Mariko said brightly, startling Enzan out of his thoughts. “You may put your pencils down now. I’ll have your results sent to your parents by the end of the day, and I’ll see you next year!”</p><p>  The class erupted in cheers—except for Enzan, who was covering his ears at the unnecessary noise, and Yaito, who was frowning.</p><p>  “Doesn’t school usually end differently than this?” she asked Meiru over the roar.</p><p>  “What are you talking about?” Meiru replied, looking confused. “Of course the school year should end this way.”</p><p>  “I guess so,” Yaito said, but she still looked doubtful.</p><p>  Enzan got up from his seat, quickly shoved his things in his bag, and crept out of the classroom. The last thing he needed was to be caught by a teacher to do some after school cleaning.</p><p>  “Free at last!” he declared as he bounded down the elementary school’s steps.</p><p>  “Well, you’re in a good mood,” Rockman commented.</p><p>  “I’ve been to business meetings more exciting than school,” Enzan replied, slowing down. “If I had to stay there any longer, I think all the brains I have would’ve dribbled out my ears.”</p><p>  “School is important, even if it’s not exciting,” Rockman chided him.</p><p>  Enzan sighed. Rockman had missed the point of his statement completely, and he wondered if the navi had done it on purpose. “Rockman, how many days until the N1 Grand Prix?” he asked, pulling the PET out so he could look Rockman in the eyes.</p><p>  Rockman looked startled. “In about week… but why do you want to know?”</p><p>  “I did sign up for it, didn’t I?” Enzan winced as he said it. The experience had not been very enjoyable for the both of them. “Look, things are different here than where I’m from. Being in the Grand Prix could…” He stopped, realizing that argument wouldn’t affect Rockman much either. “Why shouldn’t I participate?”</p><p>  “You haven’t net-battled in a long time,” Rockman said. “You swore you would never do it again after your last loss.”</p><p>  “Well, this is different,” Enzan replied. “<em>I’m</em> different. I would never punish you for losing a fight, Rockman. That I can swear.”</p><p>  “And why should I believe the one who started punishing me to begin with?” Rockman shot back. His eyes went wide at his words. “Enzan-sama, I didn’t mean it…”</p><p>  “Yes, you did,” Enzan said softly. “You don’t have to apologize for anything. I’ve given you no reason to trust me.” He took a breath. “If anything, I’ve given you less reason to trust me, since you now think I’m crazy.”</p><p>  Rockman said nothing. His eyes were downcast, and he seemed reluctant to look at Enzan.</p><p><em>  All right, Ijuuin</em>, he thought. <em>How do you solve this problem? You can’t get</em> <em>anywhere without Rockman’s help, and at the rate you’re going, you won’t get his help anytime soon.</em></p><p>  “Give me another chance, Rockman,” Enzan said softly. “I know I don’t deserve it, but we can’t stay like this forever. In order to accomplish anything, we have to work together.”</p><p>  “Another chance?” Rockman repeated. He seemed to be thinking about it, judging by his expression.</p><p>  “Yes,” Enzan replied. “And if I blow it… treat me however you want. I’ll deserve it.”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama,” Rockman hesitated. “Even if you… ‘blow’ your chance, nothing changes for you.”</p><p><em>  He’s at my mercy, whether or not things change</em>. It was a good point, one that Enzan hadn’t thought much about before.</p><p>  “Rockman, would you prefer a different operator?” he asked softly. “One who would treat you better?”</p><p>  Rockman looked surprised. “No! I just want… I only want…”</p><p>  Rockman sighed, looking away. “All I want is to be your navi, Enzan-sama. That’s what Papa made me for… and I haven’t been doing a good job at it. If you would like to replace me…” His voice fell to a whisper. “You can.”</p><p><em>  That’s why he was so upset when I talked about Blues! He thought I was planning on replacing him</em>, Enzan thought. “Rockman, I won’t replace you or abandon you. I promise. I can’t make you believe me, but I swear I won’t ever abandon you. All right?”</p><p>  “All right,” Rockman whispered, smiling slightly.</p><p>  “Good,” Enzan said, smiling back. “Now let’s go home so we can prepare for the N1 Grand Prix.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Hino Ken hummed as he walked down the street. His instructions from Immersion, the organization behind all this, had been vague. He had been told to keep an eye on things, but to not interfere unless it seemed necessary. With the job they had given him, that wouldn’t be too difficult, but he found it amusing that they didn’t tell him when it would be necessary. That only allowed him to be more independent. His instructions from the Net Agents, Commander Beef in particular, had been more specific. <em>Find the subject.</em> Well, with the freedom he had, that wouldn’t be too hard.</p><p>  “So, Fireman,” Hino Ken said, speaking to the navi in his PET. “We’re supposed to help foil Immersions plans, but we don’t know how.”</p><p>  “Hino Ken-sama, don’t you think we should be quiet about this?” Fireman replied.</p><p>  “Don’t worry, they can’t hear us,” Hino Ken assured his navi. “They can only track those in the Net World by where they are and what they accomplish. I wonder where the subject is, though. The sooner we find him, the sooner we know how hard are job will be.”</p><p>  “According to my data, we won’t find him here,” Fireman replied.</p><p>  “I don’t trust the data Immersion gave us,” Hino Ken said. “They’re not trustworthy to begin with. Although—what’s this?”</p><p>  “What?”</p><p>  Hino Ken gestured for Fireman to be silent and ducked behind a corner. He peered at the approaching figure and positioned his PET so Fireman could see.</p><p>  “That’s Ijuuin Enzan,” Fireman said. “Vice president of the IPC Corporation and winner of the N1 Grand Prix.”</p><p>  “Not here, he isn’t,” Hino Ken replied grimly. “Here he’s Hikari Enzan, son of the ‘great idiot’ who nearly blew up the Science Labs. He’s supposed to be a real piece of work.”</p><p>  “So why are you surprised to see him?” Fireman asked.</p><p>  “Because he’s smiling at his navi,” Hino Ken answered.</p><p>  “Should he not be?”</p><p>  “No. I’ll explain later,” Hino Ken replied, pulling away from the corner.</p><p>  “We aren’t going to follow him?”</p><p>  “Not yet,” Hino Ken said. “For now, we’ll just keep an eye out for him. I think this job just got more interesting.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Enzan dug through the dusty clothing, broken toys, and books in the closet. “Where is it?” he complained</p><p>  “It’s tucked in the back corner, I’m afraid,” Rockman called from the desk. “You’ll have to do some more digging than that.”</p><p>  “A blue box or a red one?”</p><p>  “A blue box—That’s it!”</p><p>  Enzan pulled out the dust-covered, cardboard box in his hand from its spot in the corner, causing the books and junk stacked on top of it to fall to the ground. Enzan tripped in an effort to get away, and landing painfully on his backside. The heavy box slipped from his hands and hit the ground with a loud thumping noise.</p><p>“Ouch…” Enzan complained, getting on his knees.</p><p> “I’m sorry, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said sheepishly. “I didn’t realize how messy it was in there.”</p><p>“This box is heavy,” Enzan said as he unlocked the clasps. “How much stuff does he—”</p><p>  Enzan stopped as he removed the lid of the box. The box was filled with so many battle chips it was overflowing, tumbling out as he opened the lid.</p><p>  “That’s a lot of battle chips,” Enzan managed to say. “What does he do with them all?”</p><p>  “I can’t say, Enzan-sama,” Rock replied carefully.</p><p>  Enzan was so busy shifting through the chips he didn’t notice the hesitancy in Rockman’s voice. “Shotgun, Wide Sword, Mini Bomb, Long Sword… he doesn’t have very many high level chips, but he does have a good variety. How did he get so many?”</p><p>  Rockman didn’t reply.</p><p>  Enzan looked up. “Rockman? How did he get so many battle chips?”</p><p>  “He…” Rockman trailed off, looking uneasy. “He got them from other students.”</p><p>  For a second, what Rockman had said didn’t register in Enzan’s mind. Then it hit him hard.</p><p>  “He <em>stole</em> them?” Enzan exclaimed.</p><p>  “Some of them,” Rockman admitted, wincing slightly. “I didn’t want him to do it…”</p><p>  “He’s a thief,” Enzan spat, glaring down at the battle chips. “I can’t use these to net-battle with… Who do they belong to?”</p><p>  “I don’t know, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied. “He’s… taken them from so many people…”</p><p>  “And he never got caught?”</p><p>  “No. He didn’t start stealing them until he quit net-battling, so most people didn’t suspect him,” Rockman said with a sigh. “I know how you feel, but there’s nothing you can do.”</p><p>  “This just gets better and better,” Enzan mumbled. He sorted through the pile and picked out some of the chips, trying to ignore the guilt he felt at them being stolen. “Well, I guess you’re right. There is nothing we can do for now.”</p><p><em>  I’ll make up for it somehow</em>, he told himself mentally, trying to the fact that he had no idea how.</p><p>  Enzan placed the battle chips in a chip pack and picked Rockman’s PET up from the desk. He slipped both the PET and the pack into the carrier and double-checked the room to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, where are we going?” Rockman asked.</p><p>  “We need practice, Rockman,” Enzan replied. “In order to get that, we need to find a place to practice at.”</p><p>  “That will require some money,” Rockman warned. “There is some you’ve been saving up. You could use it for that, but I thought… I was thinking…”</p><p>  Enzan pulled the PET out and stared down at Rockman. “Yes?”</p><p>  “You have just enough to get a new dye job,” Rockman said shyly. “If you would like.”</p><p>  Enzan slowly reached up and tugged on a lock of his hair. Again, an unusual smile was tugging on the corners of his lips. It was odd; he was lost in a reality that was nothing like his own and severely disadvantaged by many circumstances, but he had never smiled more in his life than he had here.</p><p>  “I think I would like a new dye job,” he said. “Thank you for suggesting it, Rockman.”</p><p>  Rockman rubbed the back of his head with embarrassment. Enzan nearly laughed, but he caught himself in time. He rarely laughed for several reasons. One of them—the main one—was that his father hated hearing him laugh ever since Enzan was young.</p><p>  Enzan frowned. For some reason, his mind kept circling back to his father. He blinked, trying to concentrate on the matter at hand.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, is something wrong?”</p><p>  Enzan looked down at Rockman and was surprised to see the navi looking at him with worry. “It’s nothing,” he assured Rockman. “I just got distracted by something.” He smiled to show that he was still in good humor. “Let’s go.”</p><p>  Rockman seemed satisfied with the answer and Enzan put the PET back in its carrier. As he made his way down the stairs, he wondered briefly why he had been thinking about his father so much lately. Maybe it was because his father represented something else that was missing from his life in this reality.</p><p>  It certainly wasn’t because he thought his father would care that he was gone.</p><p>  “Enzan!”</p><p>  Enzan stopped at the bottom of the stairs and stared at Hikari Haruka, who was beaming at him from across the room. “Haru—Hika—I thought you were working,” he finished lamely.</p><p>  “Enzan, come here,” Haruka said, beckoning him. Enzan walked toward her slowly, unsure of what to expect. He did not expect to be engulfed in a hug. “I’m so proud of you!” Haruka declared. There were tears in her eyes, and she wiped them away with one hand.</p><p>  “What did I do?” Enzan wondered out loud.</p><p>  “Oh, of course you don’t know,” Haruka gasped, releasing him. She brushed the hair from his face as she gazed at him with pride. “You passed fifth grade, Enzan! You barely made it, but you did.”</p><p>  Enzan blushed at her touch and looked away. He wasn’t sure why, but she was embarrassing him. “It wasn’t much,” he mumbled.</p><p>  “It’s the best news I’ve heard in some time,” Haruka said. She released Enzan, and stood back. “Were you going somewhere? I was planning on making your favorite dinner.”</p><p>  “I… I was going to go out to… dye my hair?” Enzan said hesitantly, deciding to tell the truth.</p><p>  Haruka looked at him for a long moment, her eyes shining. “I’m so proud of you, Enzan. I know this hasn’t been easy for you, and I’m glad to see you getting back to your old self. Go ahead; I can make dinner when you get back. Take as long as you want; I’m sure there’s something else you would like to do.”</p><p>  Enzan nodded, unable to reply verbally. Haruka gave him one last smile before going to the kitchen. He could hear her humming a tone as he walked out the door.</p><p>  “That’s good news, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said.</p><p>  “I like her,” Enzan said wistfully. “I didn’t know mothers were so nice.”</p><p>  “Well, you are her son,” Rockman reminded him. “She loves you.”</p><p>  Enzan thought about that for a moment. He was hated by almost everyone, he was a thief, a delinquent, and a liar. Sometimes, though, this reality didn’t seem so bad after all.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Need Money</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  “Better?” Rockman asked as Enzan walked out of the hair salon.</p><p>  Enzan ran a hand through his hair, which was now its normal contrast of white over black. “Yes,” he admitted.</p><p>  “Can I see?” Rockman asked. Enzan pulled the PET out of its carrying case so Rockman could get a good look.</p><p>  “You look a lot better with it dyed,” Rockman said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.</p><p>  “A pity I wasn’t born with my hair like this,” Enzan said wryly. He turned right and began walking down the sidewalk, feeling more confident already.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, where are we going?” Rockman asked. “Home is the other way.”</p><p>“We still need to practice net-battling,” Enzan reminded him.</p><p>  “But we used all of your money getting your hair dyed,” Rockman protested.</p><p>  Enzan stopped in his tracks for a moment. “It wasn’t that expensive,” he argued.</p><p>  “We don’t have much money,” Rockman said. “The money you used was money you’ve been saving up. I’m sorry; I should have told you earlier.”</p><p>  Enzan started walking again. “Don’t worry, I’ll think of something,” he said.</p><p>  “But—” Rockman cut himself off.</p><p>  Enzan raised an eyebrow. “You don’t want to net-battle, do you? Are you afraid I’ll punish you for failure?”</p><p>  “No, it’s not that. I just don’t want to disappoint you, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied quietly. “I’m not very good at it.”</p><p>  “Rockman, if you failed before, it was a failure on your operator’s part,” Enzan said. “Net-battling requires the operator and navi working together. Only then can you achieve victory.”</p><p>  “You sound like you know what you’re talking about,” Rockman said. There was a slight teasing tone in his voice.</p><p>  “I always know what I’m talking about, especially when it comes to net-battling,” Enzan replied. “It’s just you who needs to learn that.”</p><p>  “Yes, Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  The words were not flatly obedient. Instead, Rockman had said them truthfully, without fear or bitterness. It was a nice change and a hopeful sign.</p><p>  “I know what I’m doing,” Enzan assured him. “You just have to believe me, and I’ll prove it to you.”</p><p>  “Of course, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said.</p><p>  Enzan stopped in front of a building, reading the sign above the door. “Here we are.”</p><p>  Rockman read the sign. His eyes widened with shock, and if he had a heart, it would have stopped. “Enzan-sama, this is Higureya!” he cried.</p><p>  “Do you know of a better place to practice?” Enzan asked, amused at Rockman’s reaction.</p><p>  “No, but Enzan-sama!” Rockman protested. “The owner… last time…”</p><p>  “I remember what happened, Rockman,” Enzan said. “I’ve learned by now that I cannot escape the reputation of my father, be it Dr. Hikari or my… my father.” He shook his head sharply, trying to get back on the subject. “In order to escape that, I have to make them judge me for who I am, not my family.”</p><p>  He looked down at the navi in the PET. “Do you understand?”</p><p>  Rockman sighed. “I guess so. Still…”</p><p>  “Rockman, in net-battling the operator must trust in the abilities and the power of the navi,” Enzan said quietly. “The navi, in turn, must trust the operator’s choice in battle chips and strategy. In order to win, they have to trust each other. The same goes for situations outside of netbattling. In this world, I need you and you need me. To get anywhere, you have to trust my decisions, just like I trust your knowledge.”</p><p>  “I still don’t like it,” Rockman mumbled.</p><p><em>  So much for the great speech</em>, Enzan thought. He sighed and entered the store.</p><p>  “Welcome to Higureya!” Higure Yamitaro cried from behind the counter. His business smile faded when he saw who it was who had entered his shop. “Oh, it-it’s you. Didn’t you have black hair before?”</p><p>  Enzan walked up to the counter and looked straight at Higure’s face. “I want to make a deal with you.”</p><p>  “A deal?” Higure asked, blinking. This was not what he had been expecting.</p><p>  “I—We need practice for the N1 Grand Prix,” Enzan explained. “Is there a practice holo here?”</p><p>  Higure regarded him for a moment. “You’re in luck,” he said grudgingly. “I just got one on loan from the N1 Grand Prix officials.”</p><p>  Enzan took a breath. Here came the hard part. He had made many deals before with men much more powerful and smarter than Higure. He could do this. “I want to use that practice holo,” Enzan said. “However, I don’t have the money to pay for using it.”</p><p>  “You don’t have the money?” Higure repeated.</p><p>  “No. Therefore, I want to make a deal with you,” Enzan replied, his voice still the same calm, flat tone he normally spoke in. “For use of the practice holo, I’m willing to clean the shop after it’s been closed. I’ll only need to use it for the next week until the N1 starts.”</p><p>  Higure snorted. “Me? Let you use my practice holo for barely anything in return? Why?” he asked, leaning forward. “Why should I let a Hikari do that?”</p><p>  “Maybe because Enzan-sama isn’t judging <em>you</em> for something you’re not responsible for,” Rockman cut in.</p><p>  Enzan glanced down at the PET with annoyance. He knew what he was doing, and all Rockman’s comments would do was make things complicated. He would have to have a conversation with Rockman later on about it.</p><p>  Higure seemed deflated, and he leaned back. “That is a good point,” he said. “I wasn’t being fair. All right; you have a deal.”</p><p>  “I.. I wha… I do?” Enzan stammered, astonished.</p><p>  Higure nodded and pointed to a door on his left. “I’ll be closing shop in a few hours. The practice holo is in a small room over there.”</p><p>  “Thank you. I’ll clean once you close up,” the boy managed to say. He made his way over to the door, still in shock. <em>Who knew the direct approach would work?</em> Enzan mused. <em>Apparently Rockman had.</em></p><p>  The room he entered was small, like the shop owner had said, but there was enough room for the practice holo and a few people using it. Enzan wasted no time in setting up, and before Rockman had time to protest, he was plugged in. The blue navi suddenly found he was standing on a typical grid-patterned netbattling field. A standard navi was facing him from across the field, frozen in place.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama?” he called uncertainly.</p><p>  “Don’t panic, Rockman,” Enzan replied. “Right now we’re just going to try techniques. When I start, your automated opponent will come at you with a simple sword. He will attack once and go back to his place. We’ll repeat this scenario several times until you get the hang of each chip I use. Got it?”</p><p>  “I-I think so…” Rockman replied shakily.</p><p>  “Good,” Enzan said softly. He pressed a button, and the words <strong>Battle Start</strong> flashed overtop of the navis. The automated navi lurched forward clumsily. The programming used to create him couldn’t create something on equal status to a navi, which made his movements jerky and his reaction time slower. It was a shame, but Enzan had to work with it.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama!” Rockman cried in panic.</p><p>  “Relax, I’m right here.” Enzan smoothly grabbed a chip from his chip pack. “Battle Chip, Sword, Slot-in!”</p><p>  Rockman held out his arm as the chip warped it into a sword. “Now what?” he cried.</p><p>  “You mean you don’t know how to use it?” Enzan demanded.</p><p>  The automated navi leaped for Rockman, and with a cry, Rockman held the sword out in front of him, shielding his face with the other hand. He managed to deflect his opponent’s sword by pure chance, and like Enzan had said, the automated opponent went back to its previous spot.</p><p>  Enzan sighed. <em>This is going to take more work than I thought. </em></p><p>   “I-I’m s-sorry, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said. He was on the verge of tears. “I-I told y-you I was no good!”</p><p>  “That’s not true,” Enzan said sternly. “Just calm down. You haven’t done this in a long time, and I should have remembered that. We’re going to do it again, and I’ll try to help you more. Now, what chips are you better with?”</p><p>  Rockman sniffed. “I’m better with gun and bomb type chips.”</p><p><em>  I’m treating him like Blues, emphasizing on swords</em>. <em>The mistake was just as much on my part as it was on his</em>, Enzan realized. “We’ll work with those, but it’s important that you are confident using sword chips. In net-battling, the types of chips you use depend on your opponent, not what you’re good at. We also need sword chips for a Program Advance.”</p><p>  “Program Advance?” Rockman repeated. “What’s that?”</p><p>  “It’s a secret weapon,” Enzan replied. “I’ll tell you about it <em>after</em> we’ve practiced with some more chips.”</p><p>  They tried again, using a Shotgun chip. Rockman fared slightly better with this, and Enzan thought he caught a glimpse of Rockman’s repressed battling skills. The smooth motion Rockman had used to bring the shotgun on point gave it away. All Enzan had to do was boost the navi’s confidence, and Rockman would be a formidable opponent, that Enzan was sure of.</p><p>  Over the next hour, he kept pushing the navi by varying chips, coaxing Rockman when he got frustrated, and changing the battle sequence, using the undying patience he had learned by being vice president of a major company. By the end of the hour, Rockman was gasping for breath, but his skills had improved greatly.</p><p>  “I think we should stop for now,” Enzan said. Rockman nodded meekly and gave no protest as Enzan unplugged him from the practice holo. “Now I’ll tell you about the Program Advance.”</p><p>  Rockman perked up immediately, his curiosity getting the better of him. Enzan reached into the chip pack and pulled out three chips. “For this Program Advance, you need three sword chips used in a certain sequence…”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Hino Ken watched the people pass by the window of the café. They looked real enough; their movements were natural and when they spoke to each other, they would sometimes laugh, or looked concerned at what the other person was saying. It could have been a common scene taken from many busy streets throughout Japan.</p><p>  But he knew what he was seeing was nothing more than a copy of those scenes. The people walking by weren’t real. They were Double Programs generated by the Net World. Their faces, clothing, and hairstyles were pieced together by an advanced virtual reality program; in other words, they were ghosts of people who could really exist somewhere in the world.</p><p>  It was extremely clever, the way Immersion had created this reality within their Net World. Clever enough to fool even the smartest people, with thousands of back-up programs to keep those trapped in the Net World from suspecting it wasn’t real. Those who had been kidnapped and put inside the Net World were given entirely new memories, an easy thing to do with the amount of control Immersion had over their victims. While the Net World could not directly change personality, they could supply memories that effected it, changing a cold person into a ruthless, vicious person.</p><p><em>  Like Ijuuin Enzan</em>, Hino Ken thought. <em>According to the information I received, he was supposed to be a monster, one that hated net navis, his parents, and humanity in general. Yet when I caught sight of him earlier, he looked like his normal self. Except he was smiling, that was unusual.</em></p><p>Hino Ken blinked. He hadn’t even known that the so-called prodigy net-battler was capable of smiling, not even in the real world.</p><p>  He poured some more sugar in his coffee. There was something not right about Hikari Enzan, and whatever it was may be the edge he was looking for. After all, Hino Ken, temporary Net Agent, desperately needed an edge in the Net World. It definitely had the advantage so far in the reality it generated.</p><p>  “Fireman, have you found the information yet?” he asked, sipping the coffee.</p><p>  “It’s just coming in now, Hino Ken-sama,” Fireman replied. He displayed a window on the PET’s screen. “Here is the list of the latest participants signed up in the N1 Grand Prix. It looks like Hikari Enzan has signed up too.”</p><p>  “Really?” Hino Ken raised an eyebrow. “This could get interesting…”</p><p>  He stood up and left the café, his coffee forgotten. As he walked down the street, a man in a business suit caught his attention. As he passed the man, he slipped something into the suit’s pocket. The man, another Double Program, flickered as if he was an ancient TV getting bad reception, or a hologram being tampered with. Hino Ken smiled. Maybe it wouldn’t make much of a difference, but as long as he was here, he would fight Immersion and their mysterious plans any way that he could.</p><p> # # #</p><p>  Enzan swept the floor of shop, his mind far away from the dust he was creating. The store wasn’t closed yet, but Higure had told him to start cleaning anyway. Enzan got the feeling the man wasn’t expecting more costumers. The shop owner was crowing over a collection of rare chips on his desk, oblivious to anyone or anything.</p><p>“I think we need more practice, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said.</p><p>  Enzan smirked slightly. “I was just thinking about that. We do need more practice, but I bet by the end of the week you’ll be able to do the—our secret weapon flawlessly. You have enough skill.”</p><p>  “It takes more than just skill,” Rockman replied quietly.</p><p>  He had a good point. Enzan and Blues had years to develop their net-battling teamwork. During a battle, they operated as nearly one, making such a thing as the Program Advance easy.</p><p>  But Rockman wasn’t Blues. He couldn’t have been any farther from the silent, red-toned navi. Enzan and the blue navi had settled into an uneasy truce, but that would only get them creamed during a netbattle. If Enzan was to win, he needed Rockman to be willing to trust him.</p><p><em>  And if I win in the N1 Grand Prix, I might get closer to the truth about this reality</em>, Enzan thought. <em>It will be the biggest gathering of people and net-battlers. Surely someone else there can help me. I have to do anything I can to find out the truth, and participating in the N1 could be my only shot.</em></p><p>  “Enzan-sama, look!” Rockman hissed suddenly.</p><p>  Enzan looked up, confused. His confusion quickly melted into horror when he saw who was approaching the shop through the windows.</p><p>  “I cannot deal with them right now,” he mumbled, leaning the broom against a shelf. He quickly dodged into the room containing the practice holo. Unless a person was standing behind the counter, the room and door was hidden from view.</p><p>  Higure had seen Enzan flee out of the corner of his eye and gave him an odd look. The door swung open, ringing the bell on the top of it, and Higure turned his attention to his customers.</p><p>  “Ah!” he cried. “Welcome back to Higureya!”</p><p>  “Good evening, Higure-san!” Meiru cheerfully replied.</p><p>  “Hey, are those new chips?” Tohru asked, pointing to the pile on the counter.</p><p>  “What’s the latest news about the N1?” Dekao asked.</p><p>  “Hey! One at a time, you guys,” Yaito complained. “I can’t hear myself think.”</p><p>  “How goes your preparations for the N1?” Higure asked cheerfully. “I have many new chips you all might be interested in.”</p><p>  “No thanks,” Yaito said, shaking her head. “I can buy all the rare chips I want through my father.”</p><p>  “Yaito-sama, you’re not even participating in the competition,” Glyde admonished from her PET.</p><p>  “I’ll take a few Hammer chips,” Dekao said, picking some up from a shelf. “Gutsman needs some more support from those.”</p><p>  “I’ll take an Aqua Tower chip!” Meiru declared. “Roll-chan and I will be ready for anything!”</p><p>  Higure laughed. “One at a time! The N1 Grand Prix isn’t until a week from now. You still have some time.”</p><p>  “I wonder who all will participate?” Yaito said out loud. “I bet there will be a lot of strong opponents there.”</p><p>  Tohru and Dekao winced at her words.</p><p>  “Don’t remind me,” Dekao complained.</p><p>“Not that we can’t take them,” Tohru added quickly. “It’s just that I don’t want to be any more nervous than I already am.”</p><p>  Higure flipped through his list as he rang up Meiru’s purchase. “Let’s see… there are a few others from your school participating, according to my data.”</p><p>  “There are also many from Densan Battle Academy, Denryuu Elementary, and Keikaku High School,” Numberman, Higure’s navi, added. “And that is not including the adult participants.”</p><p>  “Wow,” Tohru commented, thoroughly impressed.</p><p>  “Who else is participating from our school?” Yaito asked.</p><p>  Higure had moved from Meiru to Dekao, and was busy ringing up the batch of Hammer battle chips. “One that I know of is Hikari Enzan,” he said absentmindedly. Something caught the corner of his eye and he saw Enzan shaking his head frantically from the practice room. A second later, he found out why.</p><p>  “Enzan? That jerk?” Meiru exclaimed.</p><p>  “How could they even let him sign up?” Yaito cried. “He’ll just cheat!”</p><p>  Higure blinked, surprised. “You don’t like him?”</p><p>  “He’s a jerk!” Tohru said, crossing his arms. “He’s the biggest bully in our school.”</p><p>  “How bad is he?” Higure asked. He got the feeling he had made a mistake, making that deal with the white-haired boy.</p><p>  “He’s horrible,” Dekao grunted. “He’s a rotten student, he picks on anyone he sees, and he hates navis and net-battling.”</p><p>  “Why did he even sign up for the N1?” Meiru wondered. “He lost all his net-battles in school.”</p><p>  “He’s worse than his father,” Yaito declared. “At least his father was just an idiot.”</p><p>  Higure looked at Enzan through the corner of his eye. Enzan wore a deflated expression. He was holding his PET in both hands and was watching his navi carefully. Judging by Rockman’s harsh response to what Higure had said about the boy’s father earlier, the navi was probably ready to explode.</p><p>  “Well, I need to close up now,” he said abruptly. “There’re still a lot of things I have to do for the N1.”</p><p>  The small group in front of him looked surprised, but they said their quick goodbyes and left without comment on Higure’s strange behavior. Enzan sagged against the door frame of the practice holo room. He was used to being disliked, even hated, but he wasn’t used to such intense hatred, especially for something he hadn’t done. Or had he? For a moment, Enzan felt confused, and his head ached. He rubbed a hand against his forehead, trying to lessen the pain.</p><p>  “Enzan-san.”</p><p>  Enzan looked up, surprised, to see Higure staring at him. “Yes?” he asked, wondering if the chip fanatic would take back the deal.</p><p>  “You can leave early today, if you want,” Higure replied, looking away. “Tomorrow you’ll have more practice time, so you’ll have more work.”</p><p>  “I… thank you,” Enzan said. He carefully placed his PET in its carrier—Rockman was unusually silent and he wasn’t visible on the PET’s screen—and made his way toward the door.</p><p>  “Hey!”</p><p>  Enzan turned and saw something coming at him. He caught it out of reflex and stared at it in the palm of his hand. The battle chip gleamed back, its name instantly popping into his head.</p><p>  “Dream Aura?” he gasped, looking at Higure questioningly.  “What—”</p><p>  “It’s a good luck loan,” Higure said. “It’s already been used, so its value is diminished anyway. I’d hate to see you work so hard only to fail early in the competition. It’s only a loan, so you had better bring it back after the tournament.”</p><p>  Enzan found he was speechless. Finally, he managed to mumble a thank you and assured Higure he would return it as he stumbled out of the shop. He stared at the chip in his hand, still unable to believe his luck.</p><p>  “That was nice of him,” Rockman spoke up.</p><p>  “No,” Enzan said, frowning. “He wants something from me. No one gives something like this away without wanting something in return.”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, I don’t believe he is like that,” Rockman said, surprised. “I think he really meant it as a gift.”</p><p>  “No,” Enzan replied, shaking his head. “No one would be crazy enough to give away something this valuable without wanting something in return. It’s a common business technique.”</p><p>  “I think he felt bad that you were upset,” Rockman replied softly. “It really is a gift, even if he wants it back.”</p><p><em>  A gift?</em> Enzan studied the battle chip. No one had ever given him a gift with no strings attached, not even his father. It made no sense, especially with his reputation here. There was something else nagging him in the back of his mind, but the sunlight gleaming off the chip distracted him. He carefully put it in his chip pack, making a note to incorporate it into his strategy.</p><p>  He began to walk down the street, heading “home” at last. There were a lot of things he had to think about, but the events of the day had worn him down. Right now, Haruka’s promised dinner sounded really good. The people on the street passed him by, but he ignored them all.</p><p>  Something bright caught his eye, and unconsciously he turned his head to look at it. He slowed to a stop, staring at the familiar figure. The curve of the face, the way the brown hair settled, and the way the figure walked immediately gave his identity away.</p><p>  “Hikari Netto!” Enzan gasped.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for the reviews! It's nice to know people still like this story.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Ijuuin… Netto.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  “Hikari Netto!” Enzan gasped. The boy was walking away from him, on the other side of the street. Two men in suits were with him, but all Enzan could focus on was the back of Netto’s head and the roller skates hanging off of his backpack.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, what’s wrong?” Rockman asked.</p><p>  “I have to catch him!” Enzan said. He shot forward from his frozen position and into the busy street. One car honked at him as he ran by, and another passed so close it brushed against the edges of his vest.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama!” Rockman cried in alarm.</p><p>  “Netto!” Enzan yelled, ignoring everything around him. He was only focused on the boy in from of him. “Netto, wait!”</p><p>  The brown-haired net-battler was too far ahead on the sidewalk to hear Enzan’s cries. One of the men he was walking with was saying something to him, and he seemed to be listening intently.</p><p>  “Netto!” Enzan yelled. “Please, wait!”</p><p>  People, buildings, and objects flew passed him. As he ran, colors around him began to blur, but the only thing Enzan cared about was catching Netto. Rockman called to him several times, but he barely heard it. All that mattered was chasing Netto. He had to catch him. He felt like he had been running for hours, yet he couldn’t seem to get any closer to the brown-haired boy.</p><p>  “Netto!” he yelled. His voice would give out if he had to chase him any farther. Miraculously, the boy in front of him slowed to a stop and looked back. Enzan kept running until he was a few meters away before stopping. He tried to speak, but all he could do was hunch over and gasp for breath.</p><p>  “Can I help you?” Netto asked, bending down slightly to look at the gasping boy.</p><p>  Enzan tried to think as his brain screamed for oxygen. There was something wrong about Netto’s voice and the way he phrased his words. He looked up to inspect Netto—</p><p>  —and froze. Netto was wearing blue pants, a button-up yellow shirt, and expensive sneakers. The clothes looked custom tailored, but that wasn’t what had caught Enzan’s attention. What caught his attention was the symbol on Netto’s red headband, tied loosely around his neck. It was round and the outline was black with a striking white lightning bolt traveling down the middle.</p><p>  “Ijuuin-sama, we must be going soon,” one of the men said, looking at Enzan as if he was a sun-baked worm.</p><p>  “Just a second,” Netto argued back.</p><p>  Enzan blinked. He had nearly answered the man out of instinct. <em>It can’t be…</em></p><p>  “Is there something you want?” Netto asked, turning back to Enzan. His voice was polite but kind, and curiosity shone in his eyes.</p><p>  “I—You—Please forgive me,” Enzan said haltingly. “I thought you were someone else. I’m sorry for disturbing you.”</p><p>  Without another word, he turned and fled.</p><p>  Netto blinked at his retreating back. “That was weird…”</p><p>“Netto-kun, what was that all about?” a voice asked from his PET.</p><p>  “I’m not sure, Blues,” Netto admitted. “There was something odd about him… I think he knows me somehow.”</p><p>  “He did say it was a mistake,” Blues pointed out.</p><p>  “Yes… But how did he know my name?” Netto wondered.</p><p>  “Ijuuin-sama, the meeting,” his guard said pointedly.</p><p>  “Oh, right,” Netto replied, turning away. Still, his mind wandered to the boy with the white-topped hair. <em>He seems familiar somehow… but why?</em></p><p># # #</p><p>  Enzan fingered the Life Aura battle chip in his hand mindlessly. The green park, with its lush trees and beautiful view, went unseen by him, although his eyes were staring right at all of it.</p><p><em>  That symbol…</em> Enzan swallowed. It all made sense in a horrible, sinking way.</p><p>  “Are you all right, Enzan-sama?” Rockman asked worriedly.</p><p>  Blues’ symbol. It had to be. Enzan had costume designed it and registered it on the navi database himself. He knew no one else had that symbol. It belonged to Blues, and in this reality, Blues belonged to Netto.</p><p>  Ijuuin Netto.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama?”</p><p>  “He has my life, Rockman,” Enzan said softly. “That’s the only explanation for it. My family, my status, my job, even my navi… he has everything.”</p><p>  “Ijuuin Netto?” Rockman asked.</p><p>  Enzan resisted to snap something about stating the obvious again. Instead, he merely nodded, staring at nothing. He felt like nothing was real, not even his body. If he blinked, it could all disappear, to become nothing more than a dream. Only the Dream Aura chip’s familiar, solid shape in his hand told him otherwise.</p><p>  Rockman was silent. He had no idea what to do. Enzan had claimed to be Ijuuin Enzan, not Hikari Enzan, and that Ijuuin Netto was actually Hikari Netto. Yet what had just occurred seemed to prove otherwise. But if Enzan was wrong, he couldn’t possibly know of someone named Netto who had the family name he claimed was his… could he?</p><p>  “I worked hard for my life,” Enzan said thoughtfully. “It wasn’t easy. But Blues and I—my navi and I got through it all. Now all that work means nothing. I don’t even have Blues at my side anymore.”</p><p>  “You care about this Blues a lot, don’t you?” Rockman asked quietly.</p><p>  “He made me who I am today,” Enzan replied. He pulled out his PET and looked Rockman in the face. “Without him I would still be nothing. I never really thanked him for that, or told him how much he really means to me. Now it’s too late.” Enzan closed his eyes. “I want to go home, Rockman.”</p><p>  His tone of voice was flat, almost as if he were reading out of a book or explaining a simple problem, but Rockman could sense the pain behind his words. His emotions reflected in his eyes as well, when they were open.</p><p>  “You still can,” Rockman said, surprising himself. When Enzan opened his eyes to look at the blue navi in confusion, Rockman hurriedly continued. “We can still figure out what’s going on, right? Isn’t that why you entered the N1 Grand Prix, to find out why you’re here instead of my operator? Maybe once we figure that out, we can find a way for you to go home.”</p><p>  Enzan sighed. “Don’t you see it’s hopeless, Rockman? Even if I could prove that I’m not crazy, that still doesn’t mean I could find a way back home. It just doesn’t make any sense!”</p><p>  He would have gone on, but something small and rather painful slammed into the side of his head at that moment. Enzan yelped with pain, scrambled to his feet, and rubbed his head, frantically looking around for what had attacked him. A few meters away sat a red ball, looking very innocent in the grass.</p><p>  “I’m terribly sorry about that.”</p><p>  Enzan blinked as a man with red hair cascading down his back bent down to scoop the ball up. He threw it into the air and caught it, smiling slightly at Enzan.</p><p>  Enzan nearly dropped his PET. “<em>Hino Ken</em>?”</p><p>  The man looked surprised. “How do you know my name?”</p><p>  “You’re a World Three agent!” Enzan declared. “You’re a net criminal! What on earth are you doing here?”</p><p>  “World Three? Net criminal?” Hino Ken said in astonishment. He started laughing loudly. “Who told you such crazy things?”</p><p>  Enzan’s jaw dropped. “But…”</p><p>  “You’re crazy,” Hino Ken replied, tossing the ball into the air and catching it again. “I’ve never heard of World Three, and it’s not nice to go around accusing people you don’t even know of being net criminals.”</p><p>  Enzan’s shock quickly melted into anger. “Yes, you are! Rockman, tell me about World Three,” he said, holding up his PET.</p><p>  “World Three?” Rockman said, sounding confused. “I’ve never heard of it, Enzan-sama. As far as I know, no such group exists.”</p><p>  “That can’t be…” Enzan breathed.</p><p>  “There, you see? That navi knows what he’s talking about,” Hino Ken said smugly. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…”</p><p>  Hino Ken turned to leave, and Enzan made no move to stop him. He couldn’t; it felt like his feet were rooted to the ground. <em>No World Three?</em> <em>How is that possible?</em></p><p>  Hino Ken suddenly stopped. Bending down, he picked something up from the grass. “Is this yours?” he asked, holding out a battle chip.</p><p>  Enzan snatched it away and looked at it. The Dream Aura chip gleamed in his hands, and he closed his fist around it protectively.</p><p>  “It seems strange that a kid like you could afford such a rare chip,” Hino Ken commented, watching Enzan carefully.</p><p>  “I didn’t steal it!” Enzan snapped.</p><p>  “Nobody said you did,” Hino Ken replied. “A loan from Higure?”</p><p>  “Yes,” Enzan answered without thinking. He gave Hino Ken a suspicious look. “How did you know?”</p><p>  Hino Ken studied Enzan’s white-topped hair. “Don’t you remember?”</p><p>  “Remember?” Enzan repeated.</p><p>  “Higure never gives away rare chips, not even as loans.” Hino Ken smiled at Enzan’s shocked look and bowed slightly. “I’ll see you at the N1.”</p><p>
  <em>  Higure never gives…</em>
</p><p>  “Hey, wait!” Enzan called, starting after Hino Ken. He was too late. The red-headed man had already disappeared from his sight, and Enzan had no idea where he could have gone.</p><p>  “That was strange,” Rockman said slowly.</p><p>  Enzan was silent as he weighed his options. “Let’s go home, Rockman,” he said finally. “Haruka must be worried about us.”</p><p>  Enzan spent the walk home deep in thought. He nearly went the wrong way twice, and Rockman had to call out to keep him from crossing a busy street on more than one occasion. He now had two more things to think about, Netto and Hino Ken. Netto had seemed different, and once he thought about it, he realized why. With Enzan’s life and experiences, Netto would be a more mature, responsible, and generally capable person. Yet much of his personality seemed to be the same, if Enzan could rely on the brief contact he had with the younger boy.</p><p>  And then there was Hino Ken. His appearance had thrown out everything Enzan had assumed. Even though he had denied being the World Three agent Enzan had known, he seemed to know things he couldn’t have. Unless he knew Higure personally, his comment didn’t make any sense. And the way he had expected Enzan to know it too—no, to remember it. It was almost as if Hino Ken knew something was wrong.</p><p>  A<em>nd if he knows something about all of this, that’s my best chance</em>, Enzan realized. Hino Ken’s remark about the net-battling competition gave Enzan hope. It was a small hope, but he clung to it. It was the most encouraging thing he had heard since the first morning he woke up in this reality.</p><p>  The second he stepped through the door, he was attacked once again by Haruka. By now he was used to it, and almost enjoyed it. She seemed overjoyed to see his newly white hair, and continued to fuss over him throughout dinner. She had made a curry meal, claiming it was Enzan’s favorite. Enzan had never even seen it before, but it smelled good and tasted even better. Still, his mind was dwelling on everything that had happened during the day, and he lapsed into silence several times.</p><p>  “Enzan?” Haruka asked worriedly. She leaned across the table and touched his forehead. “Are you feeling okay?”</p><p>  Enzan pulled away from her hand in surprise. “I-I’m fine,” he said. “There’s just a lot of things on my mind.”</p><p>  Haruka smiled brightly. “Well, if you need any help or just someone to listen, let me know. It’s what I’m here for.”</p><p>  Enzan smiled back, surprised that it came easily. “I will, Haru—Mama.” His eyes went wide as he said the words, and he stared down at his plate. What in the world had possessed him to say <em>that</em>?</p><p>  “Thank you for dinner,” he said quickly, standing up.</p><p>  Haruka clapped her hands and cleared her throat. He left in a hurry after that, climbing the stairs as fast as he could.</p><p>  “What a day,” Rockman said as Enzan entered his room.</p><p>  “I couldn’t agree with you more,” Enzan replied. He set the PET in its charger on the desk and prepared for bed. “Tomorrow will be even better.”</p><p>  Rockman groaned loudly, but his eyes were twinkling. “Good night, Enzan-sama,” he said.</p><p>  Enzan studied the navi for a moment. “Night, Rockman.”</p><p><em>  He’s happy</em>, Enzan realized as he climbed into the bed. <em>He can now finally show his true self.</em></p><p>  That was an accomplishment, and one Enzan was proud of. The last thing he wanted to leave Rockman in pain by something “he” had done.</p><p>  The image of Netto’s headband, Blues’ symbol standing out against the red material, flashed through his mind. <em>Blues</em>… Enzan turned over to his side. <em>This isn’t my life or my reality, but still… are you happy with Netto? Does he treat you well, better than I ever did? Are you happy there with him? Blues… I miss you.</em></p><p>  Enzan sighed, staring out into the darkness with wide eyes. He knew what he wanted more than anything else. More than his job as vice president of IPC, his home, his accomplishments, his reputation, or his father.</p><p>  He wanted Blues back by his side.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Preparations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  The next few days flew by before Enzan realized it. He spent every waking moment training with Rockman, both with Higure’s practice holo and at home. At nights, he cleaned Higure’s shop with vigor. Higure claimed to be impressed by Enzan’s work, and the boy detected no evidence of a lie in his voice or on his face. With each practice session, Rockman’s skills and confidence in himself improved. Enzan had rushed him on some strategies in order to master the Program Advance, but he had faith in Rockman’s abilities to figure them out on his own.</p><p>  The N1 Grand Prix was rapidly approaching, only two days away. Enzan was taking advantage of the last bit of daylight he had to train with Rockman.</p><p>  “Sword, Wide Sword, Long Sword,” Rockman said, holding his hands up in a mock position of the Program Advance. “Beta Sword.”</p><p>  “It’s easy to say,” Enzan said, smirking slightly. “But can you do it?”</p><p>  Rockman grinned. “Bring it on, Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  Enzan quickly pressed the button to start the preprogrammed battle sequence. An automated navi, one larger in size and had greater strength than they had been working with before, appeared on the screen and immediately began to charge at Rockman.</p><p>  “Battle chip, Sword, slot-in!” Enzan yelled, smoothly sliding the battle chip into the input slot.</p><p>  “Sword!” Rockman called back, watching his hand morphed into a glowing blue sword. The automated navi fired a missile at Rockman, who easily cut it in half in mid-air, neutralizing the threat.</p><p>  “Wide Sword!” Enzan slotted in the next sword for the sequence and watched Rockman’s other arm morph into a differently shaped sword.</p><p>  “Wide Sword!” Rockman repeated, dodging two more missiles coming in his direction. “I’m ready, Enzan-sama!”</p><p>  “All right then. Long Sword!” Enzan slotted in the last sword and watched as Rockman’s entire body began to glow. The blue swords on his arms began to blur, and the navi held his hands up as the swords melted into each other and slowly turned purple in color.</p><p>  “Beta Sword!” Rockman and Enzan yelled simultaneously. Rockman slashed the sword downwards, sending an edged, purple shockwave straight for the automated navi. It was cut in two in an instant and disappeared in an explosion of data bits.</p><p>  “I did it!” Rockman cheered, jumping up and down.</p><p>  “That went better than I had hoped,” Enzan admitted, trying not to laugh at the navi’s excitement. “Just remember, we’re going to have to face real opponents in the tournament. They’ll be a lot tougher than these boring, preprogrammed navis.”</p><p>  “Can we go home early, now that I’ve mastered the Program Advance?” Rockman asked eagerly.</p><p>  Enzan shook his head ruefully. He wasn’t sure if the navi had heard a word he said. Rockman got excited so easily, and when he did, he acted like a little kid. <em>I always thought Rockman was more mature than this</em>, Enzan thought.<em> But I guess Netto’s Rockman would have to be more mature to keep up with him.</em></p><p>  “I’ll have to ask Higure if we can clean up earlier than usual, but if he says it’s okay, sure we can go,” Enzan replied finally. Rockman cheered again, jumping up and down like an excited puppy.</p><p>  Much later, during dinner with Haruka, Enzan wondered more about Rockman’s behavior. It struck him as slightly odd, because even though he didn’t have to keep up with Netto, he should still behave with a more maturity.</p><p>  Instead, he reacted like a child to everything. When he was happy, sometimes he would literally jump for joy. When he was frightened, he seemed to shrink within himself, like so many children would do when there was nowhere to hide. And when he was angry or bitter, he gained his revenge in little, childish ways. Rockman did that by being as unhelpful as possible, or acting cocky when dealing with his operator.</p><p>  Enzan wondered if Rockman’s behavior was a direct result of his operator. The cruelty that had been inflicted on Rockman could have warped his thinking in some ways. As a personal net navi, his programming told him that he was to be as helpful as possible and to do his job to the best of his capabilities. When Rockman was punished for things that weren’t his fault, he could have rationalized that he did deserve it somehow.</p><p>  The blue navi, like a child, probably couldn’t grasp his operator would punish him out of anger or hatred. Being unable to understand why these things were happening or what he was doing wrong, Rockman might have stopped trying to see the logical, mature point of view. It would have been easier to see things like a child would, until he became so used to it he wouldn’t notice when he lost the ability to deal with things logically.</p><p><em>  It’s not Blues I have to worry about</em>, Enzan realized as he stared down at his rice. <em>In this reality, he couldn’t be in any better hands than Netto’s. It’s my hands that ruin everything.</em></p><p>  “Enzan?”</p><p>  He looked up in surprise to see Haruka watching him. “Yes?” he asked, fidgeting under her gaze.</p><p>  “I’ve been hearing about the N1 Grand Prix lately,” she said. She paused to eat some of her yakisoba before continuing. “I’ve also heard that you’ve been spending a lot of time at Higureya, that chip shop. Are you participating in the competition?”</p><p>  “Yes I am. Is that… is that fine with you?” Enzan asked hesitantly. He realized he should have told Haruka about it earlier and felt guilty for letting the detail slip. It wasn’t like him to forget something like that.</p><p>  Haruka clasped her hands together. “Of course it’s all right with me!” she declared. “I think it’s wonderful!” Her expression changed abruptly to a darker one. “Do you think you can get far with that navi?”</p><p>  “Rockman?” Enzan asked in surprise. “Yes. We’ve been practicing a lot.”</p><p>  “I know, but…” Haruka trailed off. “That navi hasn’t done you much good in the past. Are you sure you don’t want a new one?”</p><p>  “I’m sure,” Enzan said firmly. He knew Rockman could hear every word that was being said; the PET was in its carrier attached to Enzan’s belt. “Rockman and I will do just fine in the N1 Grand Prix. He’s better than any standard navi I could get, and he has experience to build on.”</p><p>  Haruka smiled faintly. “If you insist. I just don’t want you to be disappointed.”</p><p>  Enzan dodged the remark and quickly excused himself from the table. “Don’t listen to her, Rockman,” he said quietly he made his way up the stairs. “She’s just reacting to her own frustrations.”</p><p>  “I’ve always known that, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied, his voice just as quiet. “It still hurts.”</p><p>  Enzan couldn’t think of a response. Throughout the night, Rockman’s words haunted him. He knew how Rockman felt. His father would treat him the same whenever Enzan disappointed him. It only made him work harder to do better next time, but sometimes he just wanted to curl up into a ball and shut out the rest of the world. Instead, he would train with Blues or net-battle until he was exhausted. As long as he was tired, he couldn’t think about his failures and mistakes. It was a long time before he was able to close his eyes for the final time and give into sleep.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “Good morning, Enzan-sama!”</p><p>  Enzan groaned and turned over. “It’s too early for morning,” he mumbled.</p><p>  “It’s 7:30 AM, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied cheerfully. “Time to wake up!”</p><p><em>  He’s too damn cheerful in the mornings</em>, Enzan thought irritably. <em>I’m glad Blues isn’t like that.</em> Normally Enzan didn’t mind getting up in the mornings, but he hadn’t been getting much sleep lately.</p><p> “It’s the day before the N1 Grand Prix,” Rockman reminded him.</p><p>  Enzan shot up from his prone position. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” he demanded, scrambling out of bed.</p><p>  Rockman looked sheepish. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you had such important plans for today. Are we going to do more training?”</p><p>  “No,” Enzan replied as he pulled on a shirt. “We both need a break from training, and I know you’re ready for anything by now. What I wanted to do today was figure out why I’m in this reality instead of my own.”</p><p>  “Oh,” was all Rockman could say.</p><p>  “This is important to me, Rockman,” Enzan said softly, looking at the navi.</p><p>  “Of course, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said quickly. “I want to help you in any way I can. What did you have in mind?”</p><p>  Rockman’s words sounded forced, and Enzan wondered why. “Something Hino Ken said got me thinking,” Enzan said. He sat down on his bed and watched Rockman from across the room. “If I can make a list of the differences I notice, maybe that will help me find a place to start.”</p><p>  “What kind of differences?” Rockman asked.</p><p>  Enzan thought for a moment. “Well, there’s the obvious one. From what I remember, Rockman is Hikari Netto’s navi. His father still works for the Science Labs and is a respected expert on net navis. I don’t know much about Hikari Haruka, but I think she stays at home and doesn’t have a job.”</p><p>  “And you…” Rockman put in.</p><p>  “And I am Ijuuin Enzan,” Enzan continued. “The vice president of IPC, my father’s company. I took a test long ago that proved I was smart enough to skip going to school, and I spend my free time net-battling. My navi is Blues, and together… We have over 500 undefeated net-battles.”</p><p>  Rockman whistled, impressed. “Really?”</p><p>  “Well, that’s the rumor,” Enzan said, smirking. “We are really good at net-battling.”</p><p>  “And your father?” Rockman asked.</p><p>  Enzan shrugged. “He’s the president of IPC. He works so much, I’d be surprised if he even knew I was gone.”</p><p>  Rockman couldn’t think of anything to say. Enzan’s words were so nonchalant, they were disturbing to the navi.</p><p>  “Now who else…” Enzan said thoughtfully. “As far as I know, Meiru, Dekao, Tohru, and Yaito are all the same. I don’t know enough about them to see if there’s any difference. Higure seems the same, although Hino Ken said…”</p><p>  Enzan drifted off, remembering Hino Ken’s comments on how odd it was for Higure to give away a rare chip. “Higure is probably different, although I couldn’t list all of the differences. The only other person I can think of is Mariko-sensei, but I’ve never met her in my reality.”</p><p>  “Is there anyone you haven’t seen yet?” Rockman asked. “Who’s missing?”</p><p>  Enzan thought about it for a moment. “Well, the N1 Grand Prix should be a better way to figure that out. Many people I haven’t seen—Kuroi Miyuki or Saloma, for example—would be involved in the N1. Since World Three doesn’t seem to exist, there’s a chance Iroaya Madoi, Elec, Mahajarama, and Wily don’t exist here. Although if Hino Ken is here, there’s a chance—gah!” Enzan cut himself off and flopped backwards on the bed. “It’s too much. I can’t possibly know if anyone is or is not here.”</p><p>  “That’s not necessarily correct,” Rockman replied. “I could search the web for the names you mentioned. That way, you could gain information on them as well.”</p><p>  “True,” Enzan said, sitting up again. He sighed and rubbed his head. “I’m just not thinking straight. I should have thought of that possibility.”</p><p>  “We still have Hino Ken too,” Rockman pointed out. “He seems to know something, and if we can find him, that could get us somewhere.”</p><p>  “Yes,” Enzan said, nodding. “He’s bound to be at the N1 Grand Prix, unless he was lying.” Suddenly he frowned, remembering something. “There was someone else too… The fish guy! I haven’t seen him yet.”</p><p>  “The fish guy?” Rockman repeated. “Who is that?”</p><p>  “What’s his name?” Enzan wondered out loud. “It’s something like… Maesa? Masa, that was it! Masa the fish seller. I was certain he did business around Akihara, but I haven’t seen him.”</p><p>  “I haven’t heard of him,” Rockman admitted. “I’ll put him on the list of people to look up. Is that all?”</p><p>  “All that I can think of right now,” Enzan replied.</p><p>  “Plug me in, and I’ll go searching for information,” Rockman said.</p><p>  Enzan picked up the PET and grabbed the plug-in. For a moment he hesitated, remember all those moments he had plugged Blues into the Internet. “Rockman.EXE!” he said, yanking the plug out in his stylized way. “Plug-in! Transmission!”</p><p>  Saying that had felt really strange, and Enzan felt something twist in the pit of his stomach as he watched Rockman’s data being downloaded to the Internet. <em>It’s only temporary</em>, he told himself. <em>I’ll get my own navi back soon.</em></p><p>  “I’m in, Enzan-sama,” Rockman called out. “I’ll start with public records, business registries, and the list of participants on the N1 Grand Prix website. That should be a start.”</p><p>  “A time-consuming start,” Enzan said, sighing. “Let me know if anything comes up. I’ll be sorting through the battle chips we have.”</p><p>  “Right!” Rockman said cheerfully.</p><p>  Enzan started sorting through the battle chips he had spread out on the desk while Rockman did his searching. <em>Shotgun, Cross Gun, Triple Lance</em>, he thought as he fingered the chips. <em>Rockman is designed more for projectile attacks than sword techniques, although he’s good at both. Aqua Tower, Wood Tower, Barrier… all these chips have advantages, but Rockman’s better at basic, personal attacks than using chips that do all the work for him. </em></p><p>  Enzan shifted through the chips, discarding many interesting but unpractical chips into one pile and putting promising chips in another pile. There were only so many chips he could use in a net-battle, according to the Grand Prix rules, and it wasn’t smart to carry around what you didn’t need. He ended up with many gun and sword chips, including a few defensive chips like Barrier or Area Steal. He was careful to include many Mini Bombs in his pile, knowing that Rockman was good with those, and also an Aqua Tower battle chip, just to be prepared. He could always add or discard chips in his pack if the need occurred during the competition.</p><p>  He glanced at the clock and was surprised to see a few hours had passed. “How are you doing, Rockman?” he asked, looking at the PET. To his surprise, Rockman wasn’t visible on the screen. The background of the Internet area was visible, but he couldn’t see the blue navi. “Rockman?” he called, getting worried. “Are you there?”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Rockman carefully slipped through the hole in the Internet, entering an area that was well hidden from view. He looked around the dark, empty space frantically, but there was no one in sight. He tried to think rationally, but all he could do was panic. <em>What am I going to do now? </em></p><p>  “What are you doing here?”</p><p>  Rockman spun around to see the tall navi he had been looking for. “Blues!” he cried. “You’ve got to help me!”</p><p>  Blues stepped forward and frowned at the smaller navi. “You weren’t supposed to know about the emergency code unless something went wrong. What happened?”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama knows!” Rockman said. He felt like crying and had to rub at his eyes to stop himself. “He remembers everything.”</p><p>  “<em>What</em>?” Blues snapped. He stepped forward and grabbed the smaller navi by the shoulders. “He remembers everything?”</p><p>  “He knows his real name, his old life, and even the right date!” Rockman wailed. “He even knows about Hikari Netto!”</p><p>  Blues shook the navi roughly. “You fool! Did you tell him?”</p><p>  “No!” Rockman cried, shaking his head in denial. “You know my programming prevents me from remembering anything but my life as Hikari Enzan’s navi until something goes wrong, and even then my full memory only returns when I’m on the Internet. He knew from the very beginning! I didn’t have a chance to get on the Internet before, so I thought he was crazy.” Rockman sniffed. “You got to help me, Blues. If he remembers…”</p><p>  “All right, just calm down,” Blues said. He loosened his grip on the blue navi’s shoulders and knelt so he was face-to-face. “Does he suspect anything close to a VR program yet?”</p><p>  “No,” Rockman replied, wiping at his face. “All he knows is that he doesn’t belong here.”</p><p>  Blues visibly relaxed. “It should be okay then. There are too many blockers to keep him from discovering the truth. But,” he added, his voice growing serious, “Immersion can’t learn of this little glitch, or they’ll try to shut him up somehow. We can’t let anyone else know about this, all right? You have to keep it a secret.”</p><p>  Rockman nodded, sniffing again. Blues smiled slightly and placed his hand on Rockman’s head.</p><p>  “I’m going to place a blocker on you now, so you won’t remember this,” Blues told him softly. “That should make things easier on you, and you can be Hikari Enzan’s navi without holding back on him. I’ll keep an eye on things from now on.”</p><p>  Rockman didn’t answer. His head felt funny, and he had already forgotten who he was talking to. It seemed to him like he was falling asleep, which was strange, because navi’s didn’t sleep, not in the way that humans did.</p><p>  “Rockman?”</p><p>  He opened his eyes to see Enzan staring at him with worry. “Enzan-sama?”</p><p>  “Are you all right, Rockman?” Enzan asked. “You disappeared for a few minutes.”</p><p>  “I’m sorry, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said sheepishly. “A program distracted me when I was downloading the information and I went to check it out.”</p><p>  “Do you have the information?”</p><p>  “Yes I do,” Rockman replied cheerfully. “Do you want to look at it? I can bring it up right now…”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Opening Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>  What are you doing? Put that down!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  But Father…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  I told you to put it down! Why don’t you ever listen to me?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  I’m sorry, I’m sorry!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  You’re useless, Enzan. Completely useless. Why did I even think you could help me to begin with?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  Father, don’t say that. Don’t say that!</em>
</p><p>  Enzan bolted up from his bed into a sitting position, his chest heaving. He had been so little when that conversation had happened. Why would he remember it now?</p><p>  “Good morning, Enzan-sama!” Rockman called from the PET.</p><p>  Enzan looked at the navi out of the corner of his eye. “Don’t you ever rest?”</p><p>  Rockman looked taken aback. “Well, I do, but… today’s the big day!”</p><p>  “The N1, that’s right…” Enzan said slowly, brushing the hair out of his eyes. He felt like all of his energy had been drained out of him, and he shook his head to clear it.</p><p>  “Are you all right, Enzan-sama?” Rockman asked. “You don’t look well.”</p><p>  “I’m fine,” Enzan said, sliding out of the bed. “Just a little shaken. I’ll be fine in a moment.”</p><p>  Rockman wisely decided not to ask why Enzan was shaken. He watched as the netbattler dressed hurriedly and gathered his things. He grabbed the PET last, pausing to look Rockman in the eyes.</p><p>  “Are you ready?” Enzan asked.</p><p>  “As ready as I can be,” Rockman said confidently.</p><p>  Enzan gave him a small smile. “Then let’s go!”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Enzan had been three when it happened. He had touched one of his father’s things, something he had been forbidden to do, and somehow it fell over and broke. He couldn’t even remember what it had been now, only that it was important to his father. His chubby, trembling hands had tried to piece it back together, but it was no use. He had thought about hiding, but that would only make things worse. As it turned out, hiding probably would have been the best choice.</p><p>  He remembered the look on his father’s face when he discovered his son with the broken object. The horror had quickly melted into rage once he realized who the culprit was. It wasn’t hard; Enzan had still been holding a piece of the broken object.</p><p>  “What are you doing? Put that down!” his father had roared.</p><p>  “But Father…” Enzan had tried to argue. He wanted to tell his father that he could fix it.</p><p>  “I told you to put it down! Why don’t you ever listen to me?” His father had snatched the piece away. Its sharp edges bit into Enzan’s hands, and drops of blood began to well on the wound<strong>.</strong></p><p>  “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Enzan had cried.</p><p>  “You’re useless, Enzan. Completely useless. Why did I even think you could help me to begin with?” His father had been shouting, and his adult, booming voice nearly deafened the small boy.</p><p>  “Father, don’t say that,” Enzan had cried in response. Even at his young age, he had mastered the Japanese language perfectly and could understand the connotations of what his father was saying. “Don’t say that!”</p><p>  Then his father slapped him. It was the first and the last time his father had hit him, but once had been enough. He tried hard to never get into a situation where his father could strike him again.</p><p>  That was the last time Enzan had cried in front of anyone. It was probably the last time he had cried at all. He couldn’t remember.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, we’re at the N1 Grand Prix’s stop.”</p><p>  Enzan opened his eyes and looked around. Sure enough, colorful signs advertising the N1 Grand Prix were strewn around the station, and there was an unusual crowd of people around it, larger than the normal crowd.</p><p>  “Right,” he said, standing up. He caught the nearest bus heading across the long bridge and studied the other passengers on the short trip. Most were spectators, but he saw some who looked like competitors. He turned his attention toward the looming building in the distance.</p><p>  The floating stadium that was hosting the N1 Grand Prix, called the Mega Float, was a large complex. It was used for many events and competitions and the artificial island it was on had many shops and restaurants. It was a popular tourist attraction, for both foreigners and natives, and currently it was the hottest place to be during the national net-battling competition.</p><p>  It was a building Enzan was very familiar with. There were two domes, the main dome and the sub-dome. The main dome was larger and had advanced holographic equipment to please the crowd. The sub-dome had its advantages as well, but something distracted Enzan before he could mentally list them.</p><p>  “Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the N1 Grand Prix!” a feminine voice boomed from the speakers. “My name is Midorikawa Kero, and I’ll be your announcer for this wonderful event! The first matches will start in fifteen minutes, so I’d now like to ask everyone to take their seats and those competing to make their way to the dome floors!”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, we take part in the first match in the sub-dome,” Rockman said, speaking up the first time since they had arrived on the subway.</p><p>  Enzan frowned. <em>That’s odd, it’s the same as before…</em> He turned his attention to Rockman as he made his way to the sub-dome. “You aren’t nervous, are you?” he asked the navi.</p><p>  “I am a bit,” Rockman admitted. “This is the first non-practice battle I’ve done in some time.”</p><p>  “It’s all right,” Enzan assured him. “I know exactly what I’m doing. All you have to do is follow what I say.”</p><p>  Enzan heard a sound to his left and turned his head. He could see a pink jet streaming its way toward the Mega Float. “That Yaito,” he mumbled. “Flaunting her wealth again.”</p><p>  “Something wrong, Enzan-sama?” Rockman asked.</p><p>  “Nothing,” Enzan replied. “Let’s get this over with.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Fifteen minutes and thirty seconds later, Enzan was walking away from a cheering crowd. Rockman had done everything to perfection, and the logout had taken place within seconds, as it had before.</p><p>  That’s what bothered him.</p><p>  “Rockman, show me that list we’ve put together so far,” he said, looking at the PET.</p><p>  Rockman immediately pulled the list up. It contained all they knew about the people Enzan could name. Rockman had not been able to find any information on Masa, the fish seller, nor Saloma, the flower woman. Saloma was not listed as a participant in the N1 Grand Prix either, even though Enzan remembered she had been in the N1 he knew. All members of World Three, including Hino Ken, were not listed as participants, and neither was that weird fish man, Commander V or something strange like that.</p><p>  The information they had found on those that were in this reality was either nothing new, or it confirmed Enzan’s fears. Yaito, Meiru, Dekao, Tohru, Higure and others Enzan had encountered were the same, as far as he could tell.</p><p>  It was the information on Netto—Ijuuin Netto—that bothered Enzan. Only son of the rich president of ICP, Netto and his navi Blues had already earned a reputation as skilled net-battlers. Enzan took some smug satisfaction that Netto didn’t have quite the reputation he did, but that was the only thing he could be smug aboout.</p><p><em>  I know Hino Ken is here somewhere</em>, Enzan thought. The red-head was his only lead.</p><p>  “Rockman, show me the list the netbattlers participating in the N1,” Enzan said.</p><p>  Rockman pulled the list up, as silently as he had the last one. Enzan wondered a bit at the sudden change; normally, Rockman would make some noise indicating he had heard and was fulfilling the request. Enzan skimmed the list quickly.</p><p>  “There’s less participants than before,” he noted. “A lot less. That’s a little odd for a national tournament.” He sighed. Every time he found something new, it only led to more mysteries. It was like a network of cables that he knew had to be connected, but couldn’t see how.</p><p>  Enzan’s stomach growled loudly, reminding him of rapidly approaching noon. He changed directions and started for one of the restaurants. It was bad enough to work with barely anything to go on, but he wasn’t going to do it on an empty stomach.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “That was a great netbattle, Dekao!” Meiru enthused, greeting the triumphant boy. Dekao and his friends were in the restaurant, waiting for their orders to arrive.</p><p>  “Glad you liked it,” Dekao replied, beaming as he slid into the bench at the table. Meiru moved over so he could fit. “That navi and his operator were no match or Gutsman and I.”</p><p>  “Guts, guts!” Gutsman added from Dekao’s PET.</p><p>  “I can’t wait for my first net-battle,” Tohru declared loudly. “It’ll be great!”</p><p>  “If you’re as good as your friend, it should be.”</p><p>  As one the group turned around to stare at the boy sitting at the table next to them. He blinked at the attention and began to blush slightly. “Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to intrude. I just couldn’t help hearing your conversation.”</p><p>  Yaito gasped. “Hey, I who you are! You’re Ijuuin Netto, the son of the president of IPC!”</p><p>  The others in the group looked confused as Netto laughed sheepishly. “Yeah, my father runs a hardware company,” he admitted. “I work part-time for him.”</p><p>  “Ijuuin Netto, I’ve heard that name before,” Meiru said thoughtfully. “You’re a pretty well-known net-battler, aren’t you?”</p><p>  “Well, I’m not bad,” Netto said.</p><p>  “Netto-kun, use a little modesty,” chided a deep voice from his PET.</p><p>  “Well, I didn’t say I was the greatest in the world, Blues!” Netto protested, turning toward the red PET.</p><p>  “Why don’t you join us?” Meiru asked. “I’m Meiru, that’s Dekao,” she pointed as she named the people in the group, “Yaito, and Tohru. There’s still some room at our table.” She cast a doubtful look at Dekao as she said the words.</p><p>  “What?” Dekao asked, oblivious to the space he was taking up.</p><p>  Netto managed to squeeze in between Yaito and Tohru on the bench, but it was a tight fit. He plugged his PET into a jack on the wall next to the table. There were many other jacks and plugged in PETs on the wall.</p><p>  “There, Blues,” he joked. “Go socialize for a while and stop lecturing me.”</p><p>  “I shudder in horror to think of what might happen if I ever truly leave you alone, Netto-kun,” Blues replied dryly.</p><p>  Netto made a face. “Never mind him,” he told the others. “He just acts like my overprotective nanny or something. ‘No, Netto-kun, you can’t try that new chip until you finish your math homework. No, Netto-kun, you can’t drop that bag of flour on your tutor, no matter how amusing it might be.’”</p><p>  Meiru and Yaito giggled at Netto’s imitation of his navi.</p><p>  Blues appeared in the restaurant’s server. It was set aside for the navis of the costumers, like many places did. He was greeted by several navis, all of various shapes and sizes.</p><p>  “Hello,” a yellow and brown one said, bowing a little. “I am Glyde, Yaito-sama’s navi.” He introduced the others, ending with the only female of the group, Roll.</p><p>  Blues gave them a slight smile. “It’s nice that Netto-kun can meet other net-battlers. He doesn’t get much free time.”</p><p>  “What about you?” Roll asked, studying the new navi with interest. His height and long silver hair was what caught her attention the most. All in all, he was quite attractive, and she found herself blushing at the thought.</p><p>  “Keeping up with Netto-kun is a full time job,” Blues said, smiling at Roll. “I’m just glad he can get out sometimes. Most of the time I’m helping him with homework or his work.”</p><p>  “Sounds like a lonely job,” Iceman commented sympathetically.</p><p>  Gutsman eyed the newcomer warily. He didn’t like the way his Roll was looking at the new navi. He was suddenly distracted by something small slamming into his backside with an “oof!” sound. Gutsman turned around to stare at the crouching blue navi on the ground.</p><p>  “That hurt…” he mumbled, clutching his head.</p><p>  “Are you okay?” Blues asked, walking over to the crouched figure. “You slammed into Gutsman pretty hard.”</p><p>  “You should watch where you’re going, guts!” Gutsman added.</p><p>  The blue navi looked up, and his eyes widened with horror as he caught sight of Blues.</p><p>  “Rockman!” Roll gasped. Glyde and Iceman looked equally startled, and even Gutsman seemed taken aback.</p><p>  “Oh, no!” Rockman cried. He scrambled to his feet and bowed. “I’m so sorry! I wasn’t watching where I was going. Please forgive me!” He scurried off without waiting for an answer, making a wide circle around the group of navis.</p><p>  Blues watched go. “Who was that?” he asked, sounding confused.</p><p>  “That was Rockman,” Glyde said softly. “He’s a net navi to one of Yaito-sama’s classmates.”</p><p>  “I shouldn’t have snapped at him,” Gutsman said sadly.</p><p>  Blues looked from Roll’s sad expression to Gutsman’s deflated one. “I have a feeling there’s more to this story,” he said.</p><p>  “His operator treats him horribly,” Roll replied, looking at her hands. “Rumor has it his operator’s got some sort of punishment for Rockman if he loses a net-battle. Rockman used to be really nice, but now he’s so terrified of his operator that he’s afraid of doing anything that might displease the boy. We’ve only met him a few times, but he’s completely changed from who he used to be.”</p><p>  “That’s too bad,” Blues said softly. “Netto-kun would never dream of treating me that way.”</p><p>  Netto looked at his PET, catching the tail end of the conversation. “What was that about, Blues?”</p><p>  The others in the group exchanged looks. Blues explained what Roll had told him, and Netto’s expression changed from concern to anger. The food that they had ordered came, but Netto ignored the waiter.</p><p>  “How could anyone do something like that?” Netto said after the waiter was gone, his voice low with anger.</p><p>  “I really don’t know,” Meiru said sadly, playing with her food. Suddenly she didn’t feel as hungry as she did before.</p><p>  Netto looked up from his PET and saw a familiar white head. He stood up, everything else forgotten. “Hey, it’s that guy…”</p><p>  Yaito moved her head to see and gasped. “It’s Enzan!”</p><p>  The others turned too, jostling and bumping each other in their attempt to see.</p><p>  “It is that creep!” Meiru exclaimed. “I can’t believe he had the nerve to show up!”</p><p>  “You know that guy?” Tohru asked Netto, looking at the boy skeptically.</p><p>  “Somewhat,” Netto answered. “He seems to know me. I met him once on the street.”</p><p>  “You want to know what kind of guy could do a thing like that to a navi?” Dekao asked. He jerked his thumb at Enzan. “That’s your guy, Rockman’s owner.”</p><p>  Netto paused for a moment. “I’m going to talk to him,” he said, sliding out of the seat.</p><p>  Blues sighed. “And as soon as a thought enters his head, he acts without thinking. Just typical.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Enzan sighed, leaning against the counter. He was waiting for Rockman to return with some money to buy lunch. Haruka had been so busy that morning she hadn’t had time to make him a packed lunch and he had completely forgotten about it. He had to send Rockman to borrow money from Haruka, something he felt extremely guilty about, but he had two more matches coming up before he could leave, and he needed the money he had for the subway. His stomach growled, reminding him of his hunger.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, I’m back,” Rockman announced, appearing in the PET. “There’s something I have to tell you…”</p><p>  “Did you get the money?” Enzan interrupted. He was starving.</p><p>  “Yes, but listen—” Rockman started.</p><p>  “Hey!”</p><p>  “Too late,” the blue navi groaned.</p><p>  Enzan turned around to see a familiar face glaring at him. “N-Netto,” he gasped, jumping back a bit. The glowering look Netto was giving him didn’t leave him with a good feeling, and with dismay Enzan noticed his “fan” group was standing behind Netto.</p><p>  “Is Rockman your navi?” Netto asked, folding his arms.</p><p>  “Yes,” Enzan replied, suddenly angry. Who did Netto think he was, bossing Enzan around like that? “What’s it to you?”</p><p>  “People like you make me sick,” Netto hissed, turning away. “You deserved to be locked up.” He rejoined the group, who each individually shot him venomous looks before going back to their food.</p><p>  Enzan sighed again. His appetite was gone. “What did I do now?” he asked Rockman. The navi merely shrugged.</p><p># # #</p><p>  Enzan leaned back on his bed. He was exhausted, both mentally and physically. The matches he had today went the way he remembered them happening, but they had originally been spread out, not on the same day. He would have wondered about that if he weren’t so tired.</p><p>  He was used to net-battles, and they had all ended quickly and relatively easily. It was everything else that happened during the day that had worn him down. Netto’s angry comments—he didn’t know what they were for, but with his gang of friends nearby, it wasn’t hard to guess how he got so mad—bothered him. Rushing back and forth from the domes and the subways had eventually taken its toll. And Rockman’s unusual silence throughout the day had left him feeling depressed. He hadn’t realized before how much he had relied on the navi’s presence to keep him going.</p><p>   “Rockman,” he said, turning to look at the PET. It was sitting in the charger, and the navi wasn’t visible on the screen. “Rockman, can I talk to you for a moment?”</p><p>  The navi immediately appeared on the screen, like Enzan expected him to. The way he had worded it, it would have been impossible for Rockman not to respond. It was the first time Enzan had spoken to Rockman like that without it being a command.</p><p>  “Can you… talk to me?” Rockman replied, shocked.</p><p>  “Yes,” Enzan said, turning to look at the navi. “If you need the recharge time right now, you don’t have to talk to me.”</p><p>  Rockman opened his mouth and closed it silently. “O-of course you can talk to me,” he said finally. “I like talking to you, Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  “You do?” Enzan asked. He smiled humorlessly. “Most people don’t.”</p><p>  Rockman didn’t reply, unable to think of anything to say.</p><p>  “You seemed distracted today,” Enzan said, sitting up. “Is something wrong?”</p><p>  Rockman looked away from Enzan and studied the room. “I was just thinking a lot,” he said softly.</p><p>  “About me,” Enzan stated flatly.</p><p>  “Yes,” Rockman admitted. “I wondered why you were so concerned about the N1 Grand Prix.”</p><p>  Enzan looked at the ceiling for a moment. “It could be my only way home,” he replied softly. “The only leads I have are in the N1. If I fight and win like I did before, I could discover something.” He looked at the navi. “Are you having seconds thoughts about the N1?”</p><p>  “No,” Rockman said after thinking about it. “With you operating me, I feel confident in what I’m doing. I-I trust you.”</p><p>  Enzan sucked in a breath. “In net-battling alone?”</p><p>  “In everything,” Rockman replied, looking at his feet. “You’ve proven that you deserve to be trusted.”</p><p>  “Thank you, Rockman,” Enzan replied, truly grateful. “That means a lot, coming from you.”</p><p>  Rockman smiled slightly and rubbed the back of his head.</p><p>  “That wasn’t all, was it?” Enzan guessed. “There was more than that.”</p><p>  “I ran into Blues in the restaurant,” Rockman confessed, not trying to hide it. “He—he—I understand why you miss him. He’s confident and… everything I’m not. You… sometimes I hear you call for him in your sleep. I wanted to tell you, but I thought it might upset you. I’m sorry if I can’t make up for his absence.”</p><p>  Enzan wanted to reply, but it stuck in his throat. He had been having dreams about Blues lately, dreams that ran together and made no sense. He hadn’t realized he had been talking in his sleep.</p><p>  “Blues is important to me,” Enzan said finally. “Very important to me. Out of everything that bothers me here, his absence stings the most. But,” he emphasized, looking at the blue navi, “I couldn’t have gotten anywhere without you. You’ve helped me so much, and I enjoy being your operator. I want to thank you for all the help you’ve been, Rockman. Without you, I would be missing Blues even more.”</p><p>  “I’m glad to be of help, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied. Enzan couldn’t read his expression, and found that he was too tired to try. “You should sleep,” Rockman added, seeing Enzan’s weariness. “Tomorrow will be a busy day.”</p><p>  “Don’t remind me,” Enzan mumbled, crawling under the covers. He was asleep the minute he rested his head against the pillow. The lights were still on, and Rockman used his connection to the computer to shut them off.</p><p><em>  I’m useful to you only as long as you’re here</em>, Rockman thought. <em>Enzan-sama, please forgive me. I don’t want you to go back to where you belong. Please… don’t leave me. I don’t want to be alone.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Smashing Blue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Not all the sub translations of chip attacks match up with official translations, so I’ve stripped them from this draft. Colorman is very consistently written as “Coloredman” in the Japanese guides, probably because that’s much easier to say in Japanese, but ugh. I’ll be using the English name throughout this fic.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Enzan stared up into the sunny sky. It was the third day of the N1 Grand Prix. Many contestants had been knocked out of the tournament already, and the semifinals were coming up soon. But several people still hadn’t had their first match, including Netto, Meiru, and Tohru. The next two days would determine who would make it into the semifinals and who would not.</p><p>  “What’s the weather forecast for today, Rockman?” he asked, looking down at his PET.</p><p>  “It’s supposed to be sunny all day,” Rockman said. “Why?”</p><p>  “Just remembering something,” Enzan replied. “Can you show me the match line-up for the day?”</p><p>  Rockman immediately brought the list up. “The first match is Sakurai Meiru’s Roll and Hikawa Tohru’s Iceman,” he said.</p><p>  “Iceman vs. Roll?” Enzan repeated, surprised. “That’s odd… that match shouldn’t happen today.”</p><p>  “Why not?” Rockman asked.</p><p>  “Because Colorman… oh, right,” Enzan said, realizing the problem. “World Three isn’t here, so neither is Iroaya Madoi.”</p><p>  He walked toward the main dome, frowning. The chances of him finding someone who knew the same things he did were slim. Hino Ken had made himself scarce, and he seemed to be truly alone. Besides Rockman, no one would believe him if he said he wasn’t Hikari Enzan. What he needed was proof.</p><p>  Enzan blinked. <em>Proof…</em> He needed proof, especially if he got to the point where he would have to convince someone he wasn’t who they thought he was. But how to get it?</p><p>  “Rockman, when is the first match?” he asked.</p><p>  “In fifteen minutes, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied.</p><p>  “What would you say,” Enzan began slowly, “If I told you I could predict every move made in that battle?”</p><p>  Rockman blinked in surprise. “You’re going to predict the net-battle? Why?”</p><p>  “Just in case,” Enzan replied. “I might need evidence to prove I’m not Hikari Enzan, and predicting a net-battle may be my best chance at getting some. Can you record what I say?”</p><p>  “Yes, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said. “It should be interesting.”</p><p>  Enzan raised an eyebrow. “You don’t think I can do it?”</p><p>  Rockman laughed nervously. “I didn’t say that…”</p><p>  “You’ll see,” Enzan said confidently. Mentally, he was wondering if he could remember all the details. It had been so long ago, and he hadn’t paid that much attention to it when it was over with.</p><p><em>  I’ll have to try</em>, he told himself.</p><p># # #</p><p>  The stands were filled with cheering fans. Meiru and Tohru faced each other, each wearing serious looks on their faces.</p><p>  Enzan leaned against a wall, watching the arena from the safety of the shadows. “Once the battle starts, Roll will use her attack, Roll Flash, and Iceman will use his Snow Crystal attack,” he said to Rockman, who nodded to indicate he had heard. “Both attacks are dodged.”</p><p>  The battle started, and played out exactly how Enzan had said. He sighed with relief. So far, so good. He continued to predict the battle, saying the attacks and chips used.</p><p>  “Meiru will slot in a Triple Lance battle chip,” he said. Meiru did that exact thing a split second later.</p><p>  With a shout, Roll used the Triple Lance attack to cancel out Iceman’s Ice Block.</p><p>  “The battle will end with a Cyclone battle chip used by Roll,” Enzan said. “It will freeze Iceman will his own attack.”</p><p>  It happened just as he said, and the announcer declared Meiru and Roll the victors.</p><p>  “Amazing,” Rockman cried. “You predicted that entire battle accurately.”</p><p>  “I told you I knew what I was doing,” Enzan replied, smirking.</p><p>  Rockman laughed. “You did. I guess I’ll have to take your word for everything now.”</p><p>  “Ladies and gentleman, I have an announcement to make!”</p><p>  Enzan looked up at the booming voice of Midorikawa Kero, the announcer, and frowned. The holo projectors were being reset. <em>So soon after the last battle? </em>Enzan wondered.</p><p>  “Because of problems with the sub-dome, we’re hosting the next battle in the main dome!” Midorikawa cried.</p><p>  “Can’t she say anything without shouting?” Enzan complained, rubbing his head. The woman always gave him a headache.</p><p>  “The next battle will feature Ijuuin Netto’s Blues and Kuroi Miyuki’s Skullman!” Midorikawa boomed. “Please welcome our net-battlers!”</p><p>  The stands roared as the two net-battlers approached the terminals. Enzan jerked forward, his legs moving on their own accord, until he reached the bar separating the walkway from the stands below.</p><p>  “Blues?” he whispered, staring at the holographic battlefield.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, are you okay?” Rockman asked worriedly. Enzan didn’t hear him.</p><p>  On the battlefield, Blues and Skullman appeared. The roar of the crowd got louder, and cheers for both net-battlers merging into one indistinguishable noise.</p><p>  Skullman leered at Blues. “Prepare for defeat,” he said, sneering.</p><p>  “Somehow I doubt that,” Blues replied, moving his sword into a defensive position.</p><p>  In the stands, Netto’s newfound friends cheered him on.</p><p>  “Go, Netto-kun!” Meiru yelled. Yaito sucked down strawberry milk through a straw next to her friend, her eyes locked on the battlefield.</p><p>  “This is great!” Tohru declared. Despite his recent defeat, he didn’t seem too upset about it. “We’ve only known this guy for a day, yet it feels like we’ve been friends for ages.”</p><p>  “Yeah, he’s not that bad for a rich kid,” Dekao commented.</p><p>  “Hey!” Yaito cried indignantly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”</p><p>  “Nothing, Yaito-chan,” Dekao said nervously, waving his hands as if to wipe the remark away. He knew how scary Yaito could get when she was angry.</p><p>  “Hey, look, there’s Enzan,” Meiru said, pointing.</p><p>  Yaito made a face. “Don’t mention that jerk now. I want to enjoy the match.”</p><p>  “This should be a match to remember!” Midorikawa cried from the announcer’s box. “Ijuuin Netto has an impressive record, yet little is known about Miyuki and Skullman. That makes it for an interesting match!”</p><p>  “Just shut up and start already,” Enzan growled. His eyes were locked on Blues, and it took everything he had to not reach out for the navi. It would have been pointless, his logical reasoning told him, but he could not suppress the desire.</p><p>  The words <strong>Battle</strong> <strong>Start</strong> flashed across the screen.</p><p>  “All right, Blues,” Netto cheered. “Let’s show him what we’re made of.”</p><p>  Skullman laughed again and disappeared from sight. The crowd gasped as one as everyone tried to see the bizarre-looking navi.</p><p>  “He’s fast,” Blues commented calmly.</p><p>  “Bonestalker!” Two objects came hurling at Blues, who easily dodged them. The red navi noted with disgust that they seemed to be Skullman’s arms, detached from his body.</p><p>  “Looks like we need a change of strategy,” Netto said. “Battle chip, Shotgun, slot in!”</p><p>  Blues’ sword melted into a rapid-fire buster, and he fired it at the brief glimpses of Skullman. Enzan had to restrain himself from yelling at Netto. What was he thinking, taking away Blues’ strength and replacing it with a weapon that couldn’t possibly catch the fast navi?</p><p><em>  Relax</em>, he told himself. <em>This is what he did last time, and it worked okay. It’s not a bad strategy.</em></p><p>  “But he nearly lost last time,” he muttered out loud. It had been because of Miyuki plugging Skullman out that Netto was the victor. It had been a horrible battle, and Netto had clearly been outmatched. Enzan wouldn’t care if Netto lost or not, if it weren’t for Blues. He gripped the bar with white hands, unable to tear his eyes away from the battle.</p><p>  “So you can see me now,” Skullman jeered. “Now what are you going to do?”</p><p>  “Area Steal!” Netto called, slotting in the chip.</p><p>  “Fool!” Skullman barked, spinning around. “I can predict your every—what?”</p><p>  Blues was nowhere in sight. Skullman looked around in panic, but he couldn’t see the navi.</p><p>  “Skullman, look up!” Miyuki cried. “He’s above you!”</p><p>  Blues had his sword posed for the kill and was heading straight for Skullman. Miyuki’s navi dodged Blues’ slashing attack and managed to stagger away. He glared at the red navi. “Nice try.”</p><p>  “That was just a warm up,” Netto boasted.</p><p>  “Now I’ll show you what real speed is!” Blues shot forward, his protective mask sliding over the exposed part of his face.</p><p>  “Giant Flame!” Skullman yelled, firing off the chip attack, a purple fire ball. Blues cut it in two and kept coming. He slashed at Skullman, scoring a direct hit. The logout came seconds later.</p><p>  The crowd erupted in cheers as Enzan stared at Netto in disbelief. “He did it,” Enzan said. “He actually did it.”</p><p>  “He seems like a tough opponent,” Rockman commented. He looked at his operator with worry. “Are you okay, Enzan-sama?”</p><p>  “I…” Enzan said. “I didn’t think…” He sighed heavily and turned away from the battlefield. “I’m fine, Rockman. Let’s go.”</p><p>  “Hey!”</p><p>  Enzan turned around to see two men staring at him. They were wearing dirty, scoffed-up clothes, had dirty, scoffed-up faces, and were looking at him like he was a piece of garbage. One of them was tall and thin, with shoulder-length black hair. The other was shorter and more muscular, and had greasy hair.</p><p>  “You’re Hikari’s son, ain’t ya?” one of them asked, swaggering toward him.</p><p>  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Enzan said calmly. He began to back away.</p><p>  “You are his son. I recognize the same, stupid look on your face,” the other sneered. “Get over here.”</p><p>  “I think not,” Enzan replied.</p><p>  “Let’s get out of here, Enzan-sama!” Rockman cried.</p><p>  “I couldn’t agree more,” Enzan said, turning and running down the entranceway.</p><p>  “Hey, come back here!” one shouted. The men began to chase him. One nearly slammed into Yaito as they passed through the stands.</p><p>  “Hey!” she cried.</p><p>  “Did you see that?” Dekao commented. “I wonder what they want with Enzan?”</p><p>  “I hope he’ll be all right,” Higure said, joining the small group. They had invited him to meet Netto, and he had made it just in time to see the last net-battle. He blinked at the small group. “Do you think we should follow them?”</p><p>  “Nah,” Yaito said, waving her hand dismissively. “He probably stole some battle chips from them, or something.”</p><p>  “<em>He’s a chip thief</em>?” Higure cried. “Why didn’t anyone tell me? I let him clean the shop; he could have done anything!” He began to pull on his hair, his yelling getting louder.</p><p>  “Who’s a chip thief?” Netto asked as he walked up to the group. He stared at Higure. “And what’s his problem?”</p><p># # #</p><p>  “I really wish I would know about the crimes I commit before I’m punished for them,” Enzan complained as he ran.</p><p>  “I don’t think you know those people, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied. He stole a glance over Enzan’s shoulder. “They’re gaining on you!”</p><p>  “Where is everyone?” Enzan asked, gasping for the breath to say it. It felt like he had been running for hours, yet he hadn’t seen anyone in the halls.</p><p>  “I don’t know,” Rockman said. His voice was thick with worry. “But there’s got to be an official somewhere!”</p><p>  Enzan turned a corner and skidded to a stop. A smooth wall greeted him.</p><p>  “Uh, oh,” he muttered, spinning around. The two men blocked the way. Beyond them, almost taunting Enzan with its closeness, was a door leading outside.</p><p>  “Looks like you’ve hit a dead end,” one of them commented, folding his arms.</p><p>  “I don’t know what you want,” Enzan said, raising his voice. “But I won’t be pushed around.”</p><p>  The two exchanged looks. Enzan got the feeling they weren’t impressed.</p><p>  “We just want our money back,” the taller one said, stepping closer to Enzan.</p><p>  “Yeah,” said the greasy-haired one, moving forward too. “Your father owes us some money, but we haven’t seen him in some time. So we think <em>you</em> should pay us.”</p><p>  “I don’t have any money,” Enzan snapped. “And if you have a problem with Hikari, take it up with him, not me.” He moved to walk passed them, but the greasy one blocked his path.</p><p>  “That’s really too bad,” the taller one said. He shoved Enzan back. “I guess you’ll have to give us something else. That PET looks nice…”</p><p>  “Over my dead body,” Enzan hissed. He wrapped both arms around the PET protectively and glared at both of them.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama!” Rockman cried, his voice muffled.</p><p>  The taller one cracked his knuckles. “Suit yourself,” he replied. Then he punched Enzan in the face.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Coins for the Boatman</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  “That was a fantastic battle!” Meiru said, blushing slightly. “You and Blues were amazing!”</p><p>  Netto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “We weren’t that great. Skullman took us by surprise at first.”</p><p>  “You’re being too modest,” Yaito exclaimed.</p><p>  “For once,” Blues muttered.</p><p>  “Hey!” Netto cried, laughing a bit. “You always have to be critical, don’t you?”</p><p>  They were walking down the hallway, headed for the restaurant area. They had been planning on a picnic outside, but a sudden rainstorm had put an end to the plan. Higure was with them and still in shock over the knowledge of Enzan’s thieving ways.</p><p>  “I let a chip stealer clean my shop…” Higure mumbled.</p><p>  “Can you prove he’s a thief?” Netto asked. “I mean, I know he’s a bad guy and all, but a chip thief…”</p><p>  “We can’t prove anything, that’s the problem,” Tohru replied. “I had a great collection of chips my dad gave me for my birthday. I brought it to school once, and before lunchtime it was gone. Enzan had stopped net-battling months ago then, so no one believed me when I told them I had seen him skulking around by bag earlier that day. I <em>know</em> he stole them.”</p><p>  “He took some of my chips,” Dekao said. “I couldn’t prove it, but I know it was him. He has this way of looking at you after he’s done something. You might not even know what he’s done yet, but if he gives you that look, you know he’s done something bad.”</p><p>  “That’s not the worst thing!” Higure howled, cutting in on the conversation. “The worst thing is I let him borrow a rare chip!”</p><p>  “<em>What</em>?” the others exclaimed as one.</p><p>  “I felt sorry for him,” Higure explained. “He had begged me for use of the practice holo. In return, he’d clean the shop after I had closed. I can’t believe I fell for that!” He pressed his hands against his face.</p><p>  “What kind of chip?” Netto asked, interested.</p><p>  “Dream Aura!” Higure sobbed.</p><p>  “Dream Aura?” Yaito repeated. “You’ll never see that chip again.”</p><p>  “Why don’t you just ask him to give it back?” Meiru suggested. “After all, you did say he just borrowed it.”</p><p>  “That’s no good,” Dekao said dismissively. “He’ll just say he lost it.”</p><p>  Higure sobbed more. “That’s what I get for being soft-hearted!”</p><p>  “Excuse me.”</p><p>  The group turned around to see a tall man standing behind them. He had long red hair and a goatee, and he was studying them intently.</p><p>  “May we help you?” Meiru said politely.</p><p>  “I’m looking for Hikari Enzan,” the man replied, his gaze resting on Netto. Something akin to hate flashed through his eyes, but it faded too quickly for Netto to figure it out. “My name is Hino Ken, and I’m an official in the N1 Grand Prix.”</p><p>  “So what did he do, try to rip off the officials?” Dekao asked, snickering.</p><p>  Hino Ken gave him a look. “Actually, word has reached us that someone was overheard making threats against him and his family. In order ensure the safety of all participants, we must follow up serious claims such as this and find out if it is genuine or not.”</p><p>  “Ha!” Higure laughed. “He deserves whatever happens to him, that chip stealing liar!”</p><p>  Hino Ken gave the man another one of his looks. He was very good at them, Netto noted.</p><p>  “Have you seen him lately?” the red-headed man asked.</p><p>  “We saw him on the stands’ walkway a few minutes ago, after the match,” Yaito replied. “He   was chased off by a couple of men.”</p><p>  “What?” Hino Ken exclaimed. “What did these men look like?”</p><p>  Yaito was startled at his sudden intensity. “Well, one was tall, and the other had greasy hair,” she said.</p><p>  Hino Ken swore loudly, surprising the group. “Those were the men overheard threatening him!  Did you see which way they went?”</p><p>  “We didn’t see which way they went,” Yaito replied, suddenly sorry she didn’t take the earlier sighting more seriously.</p><p>  The distant sound of someone screaming echoed down the hall, and everyone froze. Hino Ken took off like a shot, the others fast behind.</p><p># # #</p><p>  Enzan’s vision exploded with bursts of light as the tall goon smashed his face in. He slammed into the wall behind him painfully, but his tight grip on Rockman’s PET never weakened. Blood was pouring from his nose and lip, and the flesh around his eye felt puffy. The tall goon stepped forward and buried his fist in Enzan’s stomach. Enzan gasped and fell to his knees.</p><p>  The greasy goon laughed. “Let me have a shot,” he said, walking forward. Enzan barely had time to flinch before he was kicked in the head. He fell forward on his stomach, but he never let go of the PET to defend himself.</p><p>  The tall goon brought both fists down on Enzan’s back and the boy cried out in agony. He was kicked in the side again, and the greasy goon stomped on his legs.</p><p>  “This is fun,” one commented. Enzan’s head was swirling too much to distinguish who.</p><p>  “What we need is a bat or something,” the other responded.</p><p>  Enzan cried out as his back was pounded on again. Tears of pain poured from his eyes and blood trickled out of his mouth. A fist slammed painfully into his ear, making Enzan’s head spin. He was kicked in the side and his chip pack was dislodged from its carrier. Chips spilled out from the pack and spread out over the floor.</p><p>  “Look at those!” one cried.</p><p>  “They’re all common chips,” the other said, disgusted. “He’s got nothing of any worth—what’s this?”</p><p>  Enzan saw something glint out of the corner of his good eye. <em>Dream Aura!</em> He shot his arm out and grabbed it before his attacker could.</p><p>  “Hey, he’s a bit protective about that chip, isn’t he?” the greasy one said.</p><p>  “Shut up, I think that was Dream Aura!” the tall one replied. He held his hand out to Enzan. “Hand it over, and we’ll leave you alone.”</p><p>  “No!” Enzan managed to reply.</p><p>  The tall man stood up. His face displayed no emotion as he stomped on Enzan’s wrist. Enzan screamed in pain. “Hand it over,” the goon said again. He twisted his foot, grounding it deeper into Enzan’s flesh.</p><p>  The greasy man kicked Enzan in the side again. Enzan moaned and he felt his grip on the chip loosening. The tall man lost his patience and began to pry the battle chip out of Enzan’s hand.</p><p><em>  Let the chip go</em>, Enzan heard a voice say. <em>It’s not worth your life.</em></p><p><em>  No, it’s not mine</em>, he argued back. <em>I can’t let them take it!</em></p><p>  “Give it!” the man yelled. He brought his foot down on Enzan’s wrist again. Enzan could hear the snap of bones breaking and finally let go of the chip. His world swirled and turned black as he lost consciousness.</p><p>  “Gotcha!” the man said triumphantly.</p><p>  “Hey, I heard someone coming!” the greasy goon cried. The two of them ran.</p><p>  “Stop right there!” Hino Ken roared. They only ran faster, disappearing through a door to the outside. Hino Ken swore again, softer this time. No matter how much he chased them, he would never catch them. They were programs sent by Immersion, but why? Had they discovered something about Enzan that disturbed them?</p><p>  Hino Ken walked toward the boy, pushing the scattered battle chips aside with his foot. He knelt and inspected the boy’s body carefully. After he was sure nothing serious was broken, he turned the Enzan over. He winced once he saw the white-haired boy’s face. Blood was splattered all over his face and leaked from his mouth and nose. One eye was blackened and there was a bruise surrounding a cut on the opposite cheek.</p><p>  “Enzan!”</p><p>  Hino Ken looked up at Yaito’s gasp and saw the group staring at him. “Don’t just stand there!” he roared. “You two!” He pointed at Netto and Dekao. “Call an ambulance! He could be bleeding internally!”</p><p>  “Right!” Netto said. He and Dekao ran off to find a jack. If they plugged in, their navis could alert emergency services faster than they could on their own.</p><p>  “As for the rest of you, gather up his battle chips. It was obvious he was robbed.” Hino Ken examined Enzan again. “Looks like his wrist is broken.”</p><p>  Higure madly began to scoop up chips and look at them. “This isn’t it! Neither is this one!”</p><p>  Tohru rolled his eyes as he picked up some in a corner. “Chip <em>otaku</em>,” he mumbled.</p><p>  “It’s likely your rare chip was stolen by those creeps,” Hino Ken called to the panicking man. “His wrist is broken and it looks like they had to pry something from his hand.”</p><p>  Higure gave off a low moan, and the red-haired N1 official gave him a disgusted look.</p><p>  Hino Ken glanced back at the boy and noticed that Enzan was clutching his PET in his other arm. He tried to remove it, but the boy’s grip was like iron. “You’ll have to let go sometime, boy,” he said softly. “Your navi will be all right.”</p><p>  Enzan didn’t stir, but his grip loosened enough for Hino Ken to slip the PET from his hand.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama,” Rockman whimpered, immediately appearing on the screen. His pupils shrank with fear when he saw Hino Ken.</p><p>  “Your operator has been hurt,” Hino Ken said quickly. “We’re getting him help now.”</p><p>  “Is he going to be okay?” Rockman asked frantically.</p><p>  “I don’t know,” Hino Ken admitted. He sighed. “I don’t know.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Rockman was curled up into a ball, sobbing softly. It had been a few hours since Enzan had been beaten. He had been rushed to the hospital, and the only thing Rockman knew was Enzan was currently being examined by doctors. He didn’t know what was going on with his operator now. Haruka had come to the hospital from her work, but she had barely glanced at him and had left his PET on a table in the waiting room. No one else had even spoken to him since. All he knew that Enzan was hurt badly and it was his fault.</p><p>  “Rockman?”</p><p>  A hand touched his shoulder and he flinched away. He didn’t deserve to be comforted. Not after what he had done.</p><p>  “Leave me alone!” he cried.</p><p>  “Rockman, it’s not your fault.”</p><p>  “Yes it is!” Rockman snapped, his head shooting up to glare at the speaker. His eyes widened when he saw who it was. “Blues!”</p><p>  Blues smiled. “Are you okay?”</p><p>  “N-no,” Rockman sniffed, looking away. “Please go away. I’m not worth your time.”</p><p>  “That’s not true,” another voice said. Rockman turned to see Roll kneeling next to him. The pink navi smiled at him brightly. “You’re a wonderful person, Rockman. We don’t want to see you sad.”</p><p>  “B-but it’s all my fault!” Rockman protested. “Enzan-sama was—he was—he protected me! They said they were going to take me and he didn’t let them. And then they—then they—”</p><p>  “It’s all right, Rockman,” Blues interrupted, his voice gentle. “Your operator obviously cared enough for you to protect you in that way. If anything happened to you, he would be crushed.”</p><p>  Roll shot Blues a doubtful look over Rockman’s head, but Blues ignored it.</p><p>  “D-do you really think so?” Rockman asked hopefully.</p><p>  “I don’t know your operator well enough to be certain,” Blues said carefully. “But I know that’s what Netto-kun would do for me. Judging from what you’ve told me, I bet your operator feels the same way.”</p><p>  Rockman hugged his knees and looked down at the floor. “Thank you for trying to help me,” he said softly. “Can I ask the two of you a favor?”</p><p>  “Of course,” Blues said.</p><p>  Rockman peered at the taller navi shyly. “Can you find out what’s going on with Enzan-sama? I just want to know if he’s okay.”</p><p>  “I’ll ask Netto-kun to tell you immediately once we hear something,” Blues promised. “Right now they are still waiting to learn about him too.”</p><p>  “They?” Rockman repeated.</p><p>  “Dekao-kun has another match, so he went back to the Mega Float, but everyone else is here in the hospital waiting room,” Roll explained. With two bright flashes, Glyde and Iceman appeared.</p><p>  “Rockman-san, how are you doing?” Glyde asked, looking down at the smaller navi with concern.</p><p>  Rockman wiped at his eyes and stood up quickly. “I’m all right,” he said, looking at his feet.</p><p>  “You’re not damaged in any way, are you?” Iceman asked.</p><p>  “I’m fine,” Rockman mumbled, turning red. He wasn’t used to so much attention. Glyde immediately struck up a conversation about Internet servers, trying to distract Rockman from his operator’s plight. It seemed to work, for Rockman looked interested and occasionally interjected with a comment or question. Iceman joined in, talking animatedly about the servers he had dealt with.</p><p>  Roll walked up to Blues and squeezed his arm gently. “That was nice of you,” she whispered. “Suggesting we check on him and trying to cheer him up.”</p><p>  “I didn’t want to leave him miserable,” Blues admitted. He smiled at Roll. “I hate the idea of a navi being miserable because he’s worried about his operator.”</p><p>  Roll blushed and looked away. Even though she could not see his eyes, his gaze seemed to be admiring.</p><p>  “Your presence really helped,” Blues added. “It’s nice to be flattered by such a pretty navi.”</p><p>  “You think I’m pretty?” Roll asked, her eyes lighting up.</p><p>  “…And that rude program had the nerve to ask for my identification!” Glyde was saying. He made a dismissive gesture. “I had already given it to him five times before!”</p><p>  Rockman laughed. “Aren’t all programs like that?” he asked. “They get confused so easily.”</p><p>  “Hey, at least you don’t have to deal with them all the time,” Iceman put in. “When I work with Tohru’s father, I have to repeat instructions to them all day long. Five seconds after I give complete instructions to one, it comes right back asking for them again!”</p><p>  “How do you know it’s the same one?” Blues asked. He slipped his arm out of Roll’s grip, but he gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before walking toward the other navis.</p><p>  Iceman shrugged. “You’re right. They all look the same.”</p><p>  Rockman laughed again. He didn’t know why he felt so happy. He couldn’t remember being this happy before. It made no sense; his operator was in the hospital, Enzan’s condition unknown, and just a few minutes earlier Rockman had been feeling miserable. He couldn’t explain the happiness he felt now. All he knew was that he wanted this happiness to last a long, long time.</p><p># # #</p><p>  Enzan moaned. His head was killing him and his face ached, like someone had tried to rip the skin off of it with a dull razor. He tried to flex his hand, a dim memory coming to mind, and stopped in confusion when he realized he couldn’t feel it. Someone was crying, a soft, muffled sound, and he opened his eyes slowly to see who it was.</p><p>  Hikari Haruka was sitting in a chair next to him, crying softly into her hands. Enzan realized he was lying on a bed, in what looked like a hospital room.</p><p>  “What’s wrong?” he asked.</p><p>  Haruka looked up with a gasp. She stared at him like he was a ghost.</p><p>  “Oh, Enzan!” she cried. She leaned forward and touched his forehead. “How do you feel?”</p><p>  “Sore,” he admitted. Vague memories of what had happened entered his head.</p><p>  “Where’s Rockman?” he asked sharply, sitting up. That proved to be a mistake, for his head exploded with pain and the rest of his body ached in protest. He moaned and clutched at his head. It was then when he noticed the bandage on his arm. It was wrapped thickly around his hand and wrist, and he stared at it in horror.</p><p>  “Enzan, are you all right?” Haruka cried, wrapping her arms around his back to support him.</p><p>  “I feel awful,” Enzan groaned, closing his eyes against the pain. “What happened?”</p><p>  “A bunch of punks decided they didn’t like your looks,” a deep voice said. “So they tried to change them forcefully.”</p><p>  “Hino Ken?” Enzan asked, opening his eyes slightly.</p><p>  The former World Three agent smiled grimly at him. “Your navi is all right, they didn’t get him. He’s with your friends. How do you feel?”</p><p><em>  I have friends?</em> Enzan blinked.</p><p>  “What do you want?” he demanded irritably.</p><p>  “Enzan, be nice!” Haruka scolded. “This man saved your life!”</p><p>  “He did?” Enzan asked, amazed.</p><p>  “Feeling that bad, huh?” Hino Ken chuckled. “It’s all right, Hikari-san. He’s still in some pain, so his rudeness can be forgiven.”</p><p>  He approached the bed and studied Enzan critically.</p><p>  “You have a mild concussion and many, many bruises,” he announced, almost cheerfully. “You’re very fortunate. Your wrist is sprained and severely battered, but it should be in working order in a few days. You’ll be able to participate in the N1 Grand Prix without difficulty.”</p><p>  “But I have a match tomorrow,” Enzan said.</p><p>  “I’m an official in the tournament,” Hino Ken announced. “I made some adjustments to the schedule with the approval of the others. Everything will work out.”</p><p>  “Thank the man, Enzan,” Haruka said as Enzan stared at Hino Ken. “He worked hard to make sure you have a good chance. Although I’m not sure I want you participating in the N1 anymore after this.”</p><p>  “But I have to be in the N1!” Enzan cried.</p><p>  “Hikari-san, your son is fit enough to go home,” Hino Ken said, interrupting. “Why don’t you go check him out of the hospital? I’d like to talk to him about today’s events to ensure they won’t happen again.”</p><p>  “Of course,” Haruka said. She hugged Enzan gently before standing up. “We’ll talk about it later, okay?”</p><p>  Enzan mumbled something that could have been a “yes.” Haruka quickly left the room, eager to get her son home. Enzan glared at Hino Ken as the red-headed man watched her leave.</p><p>  “A nice woman,” Hino Ken commented.</p><p>  “Spill it,” Enzan snapped. “You know what’s going on, and you know who I really am, don’t you?”</p><p>  “If I told you,” Hino Ken replied, looking at Enzan, “They might kill you next time.”</p><p>  Enzan fell silent, studying the man. The words sounded like a threat, and Enzan wasn’t about to be pushed around.</p><p>  Hino Ken sighed. “I’m here to warn you, <em>Ijuuin</em> <em>Enzan</em>.” He had put an emphasis on the name, and it had the intended effect. Enzan’s eyes went wide with shock. “You have to figure this out on your own,” Hino Ken continued. “I can’t help you anymore than I already have. They know you aren’t who you’re supposed to be. You have to be careful, or they’ll try to take you out. Do you understand?”</p><p>  “No,” Enzan admitted.</p><p>  “You will,” Hino Ken replied. “Just be careful. Don’t trust anyone, not even your net navi. And no matter what, don’t tell anyone what you know.” He turned to leave. “You won’t see me again. I’ve interfered too much for them to leave me be.”</p><p>  “Wait!” Enzan cried, trying to stumble out of bed. His legs refused to do what he told them, and Hino Ken was gone before he was able to stand.</p><p>  Enzan swore. There went his last lead, and there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. Enzan looked down and realized he had lost something else too.</p><p>  “Where are my clothes?”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Hino Ken walked down the hallway, whistling tonelessly. He knew he didn’t have much time. The hallways were empty and dark, and he could feel them watching him.</p><p>  “Hino Ken-sama, you shouldn’t have interfered with the programming,” Fireman said. “He was supposed to have a broken wrist and cracked ribs.”</p><p>  “Commander Beef had it wrong,” Hino Ken replied. “From what I saw, Enzan may be our best hope at stopping Immersion and their NetWorld.”</p><p>  “Do you think he’ll listen to your warning?” Fireman asked.</p><p>  “I doubt it,” Hino Ken said cheerfully. “I wasn’t planning on him to, but I hope he uses more caution. He truly has no idea what he’s caught up in. Hopefully I made him think about it.”</p><p>
  <strong>  “Hino Kenichi?”</strong>
</p><p>  The voice had come from behind him, and Hino Ken stopped in his tracks. “You’re late,” he commented. “I expected to be grabbed, thrown into whatever you have as a prison, and scolded profusely after I left the room.”</p><p>
  <strong>  “You have interfered with our business.”</strong>
</p><p>  “I thought that was my job.” Hino Ken turned around, but there was no one behind him. The strange voice continued to speak.</p><p>
  <strong>  “We have learned you have ulterior motives for being here. You have been employed by those Net Agents to sabotage our plans. That is not acceptable.”</strong>
</p><p>  “You can’t prove that,” Hino Ken replied.</p><p>  “On the contrary,” the voice said, becoming more feminine. It came from behind him, and Hino Ken whirled.</p><p>  “Miyuki!” he gasped. <em>Damn, I should have warned En—</em></p><p>  That was as far as his thought got, for he lost consciousness a moment later. Miyuki’s crystal ball glowed in her hands, casting shadows on her face.</p><p>  “Hino Ken-sama!” Fireman cried.</p><p>  “He can no longer hear you,” Miyuki replied emotionlessly. “He will never be able to hear anyone again.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Unwanted</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Enzan blinked at the harsh light of the waiting room. It made his head throb even more, and he covered his eyes with his unharmed arm. They had given him his clothes back, even though there were bloodstains on his vest and shirt. Haruka was at the nurse office counter, sighing paperwork<em>. </em></p><p><em>  How much is this going to cost her?</em> Enzan wondered. <em>Have I just become a bigger burden to her now?</em></p><p>  “You look awful,” a voice said. Someone else shushed the voice.</p><p>  “What?” Enzan lowered his arm and saw the whole gang sitting in chairs in the room, Netto included. Not the whole gang, he realized as he saw the big one—Dekao—wasn’t there.</p><p>  Netto stood up and walked toward Enzan.</p><p>  “I may not agree with what you do,” Netto said quietly. “I still think people who hurt their navis intentionally should be locked up. But no one deserves to be beaten by goons for no reason.”</p><p>  He held out a blue PET. “Your navi has been frantic about you.”</p><p>  “Rockman? Is he all right?” Enzan snatched the PET from Netto’s hand and looked at it worriedly. “Rockman?”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama!” Rockman cried, appearing on the screen. He bit his lower lip as he stared at his operator.</p><p>  “Yeah, I know I look horrible,” Enzan said. He had a large bandage wrapped around his head to cover a gash on his forehead. His cheek had another bandage on it. Discolored flesh surrounded the bandage, and the eye on the opposite side of his face was swollen shut. Enzan looked up at Netto.</p><p>  “Thank you for watching over him,” he said.</p><p>  “No problem,” Netto replied, his surprise evident in his voice.</p><p>  Higure stood up and leaned over Netto’s shoulder. “Will you be able to net-battle?” he asked.</p><p>
  <em>  The Dream Aura chip!</em>
</p><p>  “Higure-san, I’m sorry!” he gasped, bowing as much as he dared. Even the slightest downward motion sent his head spinning. “They stole the chip you let me borrow.”</p><p>  Higure sighed. “It wasn’t your fault,” he said, but his voice quivered. He was obviously devastated by the loss.</p><p>  “I’ll work it off,” Enzan promised. “I’ll find some way to pay you back.”</p><p>  “That’s quite all right,” Higure said quickly, waving his arms. “I’m sure you have much better things to do, and I don’t really need the help.”</p><p><em>  They told him about the chip stealing</em>, Enzan realized, glancing at the others in the room. The ones from his class were giving him hostile looks, and he could have sworn he saw Tohru smirking. Netto had a blank expression on his face, but Enzan could recognize it as a perfected mask to hide his true emotions. Yaito was the only one who looked sympathetic, but when their gazes met, she turned away. <em>That’s why he doesn’t want my help.</em></p><p>  “If that’s what you want,” Enzan replied, looking over his shoulder for Haruka. He wanted nothing more than to get out of here as quickly as he could.</p><p>  Netto looked uncomfortable. “Well, we should be getting back to the N1,” he said. “It’s good that you’re okay.”</p><p>  “Yeah,” Enzan said, unsure of how to respond. Without another word, the group filed out of the waiting room. Meiru and Higure cast doubtful looks at him as they left.</p><p><em>  So much for my friends</em>, Enzan thought.</p><p>  “Have they left?” Haruka said brightly as she walked up to him. “It’s too bad. I wanted thank them for taking care of you.”</p><p>  “My head hurts,” Enzan said softly. “Can we go home?”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Enzan stared at the wall of his room from his lying position on the covers of the bed. His bloody clothes were being washed downstairs, and he was wearing a plain t-shirt and jeans. Haruka was making dinner and Rockman’s PET was charging. Enzan had to order the navi to let himself recharge because the navi had been so worried over the white-haired boy, he didn’t want to. Now Enzan wondered if that was a smart move. Without Rockman’s chattering, the room felt empty and cold.</p><p><em>  And lonely</em>, Enzan thought, hugging the pillow slightly. His head throbbed and the pain killers had worn off on his wrist. The bruises on his back kept him lying on his stomach, and any move he made caused pain to shoot through his body. <em>Mild concussion, my ass. My head feels like a truck ran over it.</em></p><p><em>  Don’t trust anyone</em>, Hino Ken had said. <em>Not even your navi</em>. That did him no good. Rockman was the only one he could trust in this crazy reality. Rockman was the only one willing to trust him.</p><p><em>  Why should I believe him?</em> Enzan asked himself. <em>He’s a World Three agent! He has every reason to lead me wrong. Yet… he seems to be the only one who knows there’s something wrong with all of this. What if I’m not in another reality? What if something else happened to cause it to be this way?</em></p><p>  Enzan got up slowly, wincing at the pain it brought. He felt restless, and the more he thought about things, the more his head spun. He stumbled down the stairs, having no other place to go.</p><p>  The minute his foot touched the bottom of the stairs he heard it. He crept toward the kitchen and peered in. Haruka was staring down at a half-chopped onion, tears streaking her cheeks. A cutting knife was lying forgotten beside the onion. As Enzan watched, more tears dripped off her face and splattered against the cutting board.</p><p>  “Mama,” he whispered. The word had come unbidden to his lips, surprising him.</p><p>  “Enzan!” she gasped, catching sight of his half-hidden face. “I was just… the onions, you know, they…”</p><p>  “I’m sorry,” Enzan said softly. “I made you cry. I’m making your life miserable, aren’t I?”</p><p>  Haruka stared at him for a moment. “Come here, Enzan,” she said softly.</p><p>  Enzan walked toward her, looking at the ground. His eyes stung, and he desperately blinked back tears. Haruka wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him into her embrace.</p><p>  “The happiest day of my life was the day you were born, Enzan,” she whispered, resting her head against the top of his. “I’ve never regretted deciding to have you for a moment.” She rubbed the top of his head. “Why would you get that idea?”</p><p>  Enzan didn’t answer her.</p><p>  “I know things are hard for us right now,” she continued. “And I worry too much. I worry about you when you’re not home, I worry about you when you’re home, I worry about money, I worry about food… I worry about everything, it seems. Do I worry too much, Enzan?”</p><p>  “It’s nice to have someone worry about you,” Enzan whispered.</p><p>  “It is, isn’t it?” Haruka hugged him tightly again. “It will turn out all right, you’ll see,” she said.</p><p>  Enzan shook his head. “You deserve better,” he said sadly. “All I’ve done is been a burden.”</p><p>  “Don’t say that!” Haruka exclaimed. “Oh Enzan, is that what you think? You couldn’t be more wrong. I’m so proud of you, especially now that you’re doing better. You’re the one that makes my life worth living, not the other way around!”</p><p>  She brushed the hair from his face and studied him for a moment. “If you like, you can keep competing in the N1 Grand Prix,” she said. “I know it’s important to you. Are you hungry?”</p><p>  Enzan shook his head.</p><p>  “Well, maybe you should get some sleep,” Haruka said, releasing him. She rubbed at her eyes. “Maybe I should cut up some carrots instead. These onions are really bothering my eyes.”</p><p>  Enzan left the kitchen. He wanted to raise his head and thank her, but the hollow feeling in his chest wouldn’t go away. He climbed up the stairs to his room, stumbling over a few steps.</p><p>
  <em>  “What about your son, Ijuuin-sama?”</em>
</p><p><em>  “</em>My<em> son? Are you crazy? Do you know what the press would say if they knew I wasn’t married to his mother? They would tear me apart!”</em></p><p>  His father hadn’t known he was under the table listening. Even if the man had, he would have never thought the boy, only five years of age, would remember it.</p><p>
  <em>  “You mean the boy is…?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “Yes! I had a moment of weakness, and for that I was punished. At least his mother died during the birth. If she had sued me for child support, think of what it would have done to the company’s reputation.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “That’s a very cold thing to say.”</em>
</p><p>  It had been a very cold thing to say, but it had enlightened Enzan on why his father treated him the way he did. He was a sign of weakness, something his father despised. He was a mistake that was never supposed to happen.</p><p>  He wasn’t wanted.</p><p><em>  “It’s the truth, cold or not,”</em> his father had replied emotionlessly. <em>“At least the boy has his uses.”</em></p><p>  That was the only thing Enzan had. He was only wanted in the world if he could be useful, if he did things that pleased his father. The day he was born, his father had been horrified. He had tried to deny that Enzan was his son, but DNA tests proved otherwise. The servants got fired for talking about it, but not before Enzan overheard them.</p><p>  He stumbled into the room and curled up on the bed. He was back to staring at the wall again.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama?”</p><p>  He turned his head slightly. “You’re supposed to be recharging, Rockman.”</p><p>  Hesitantly, Rockman spoke again. “Why does Hikari-san bother you?”</p><p>  “She doesn’t bother me,” Enzan said, surprised. “She’s one of the nicest people I’ve met. She works so hard to provide for her family, and she loves her son with all her heart. She’s perfect.”</p><p>  “You’re upset,” Rockman said quietly. “I can hear it in your voice.”</p><p>  “How is that your business?” Enzan snapped. He turned on his back, despite the pain it brought, and rubbed his eyes. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m just…”</p><p>  “Upset,” Rockman put in.</p><p>  “Yes,” Enzan replied, too tired to deny it anymore.</p><p>  “Why?”</p><p>  “You have to ask that question,” Enzan said with a sigh. “Would you like to hear my whole life story while I’m at it?”</p><p>  “You know mine,” Rockman said.</p><p>  “Good point,” Enzan admitted. He sighed again. “I might as well tell you. It’s not like it makes much of a difference. Where do you want me to start?”</p><p>  Rockman blinked. “I don’t know. From birth?”</p><p>  Enzan rubbed his bandaged wrist. “That far, huh?” he asked bitterly. “Not much to tell. I’m a bastard.”</p><p>  Rockman gasped.</p><p>  “I <em>mean</em> my father never bothered to marry my mother,” Enzan explained crossly.</p><p>  “I know what you meant, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied quietly.</p><p>  “My mother died when I was born,” Enzan said, ignoring Rockman’s statement. “My father couldn’t have been more overjoyed—after all, she could have made his life miserable—but he had one problem. Me. Because of my existence, he couldn’t go back to his normal life and pretend nothing had happened.”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, I don’t believe anyone could be so cold,” Rockman protested.</p><p>  “Oh, you don’t?” Enzan replied, raising an eyebrow. “What about your operator? He was just as cold, if not colder. My father is a business man, Rockman. He has no time to deal with children or other unnecessary details of life. I was raised by servants. I barely saw my father when I was young. I wasn’t even sure I had one.”</p><p>  Rockman watched Enzan sadly. The bitter yet matter-of-fact way he spoke was very revealing. He wondered how long it took Enzan to force himself to believe what he was saying. “But something happened to change that, didn’t it?” he asked.</p><p>  Enzan smiled. It was a twisted, angry smile. Funny how things had changed—now Rockman was the one prying for information. “When I was three, they discovered I was a genius. I could speak better Japanese than most adults, knew both hiragana and katakana, and I could read several kanji. I had learned on my own without any help. Upon hearing that news, my father finally saw me as something more than a burden. He saw me as a potential successor.” Enzan closed his eyes for a moment. <em>Someone useful to my father at last.</em></p><p>  “So from then on,” the white-haired boy continued, “I was given tutors instead of maids, study books and computer tools instead of toys. I was drilled on everything I was taught at the end of the week by my father to make sure I was making progress. I learned things from computer programming to business dealing.”</p><p>  “That must have been hard, even if you were smarter than most children,” Rockman said.</p><p>  “I hated it,” Enzan replied bitterly. His eyes narrowed. “I hated every moment of it. My tutors cared nothing for me; they only worked for the money my father dangled in front of them. My life was focused on studying. I had no time to develop interests in anything else. When I was eight, however, things changed.”</p><p>  His expression lightened with the memory. “By chance I learned about net navis. I had known about them before, but I never paid much attention. I saw a net-battle on TV from one of the local city tournaments. From then on I was hooked. I decided I had to net-battle, no matter what.”</p><p>  “Why?” Rockman asked. “I mean, I know most children find net-battles exciting, but you…”</p><p>  “I don’t strike you as the type to be interested just because of that?” Enzan smiled, remembering how enthusiastic he had been. “I saw an opportunity to do something that required mind and body, something I could do and accomplish on my own. I started studying how to program a net navi, the advantages and disadvantages of traits that could be programmed in, and net-battling techniques. I told my father I wanted to program a custom net navi. He saw it as an opportunity for me to learn more skills, and gave me the materials I needed.”</p><p>  “You programmed your net navi when you were eight?” Rockman exclaimed.</p><p>  “It wasn’t easy,” Enzan admitted. “But I managed. It took me a full year to create Blues, and for months after that I kept worrying that I had done something wrong. But Blues proved to be perfect.”</p><p>  “The perfect net navi,” Rockman said, sounding wistful.</p><p>  “To the eyes of a nine-year-old,” Enzan interjected. “After he was fully programmed, I became obsessed with net-battling. I practiced whenever I had the free time. It required skipping sleep and missing meals, but I built my skills up. I started to dye my hair around that age. I wanted—I guess I wanted to look distinctive. I wanted to be remembered by those I net-battled, and others who saw me. I was sick of being ignored and shoved in the background.”</p><p>  “Your determination must have worked for you to gain the reputation you have,” Rockman replied. His raised an eyebrow. “Or claim to have anyway.”</p><p>  Enzan grinned at the teasing. “You’ll never believe me on some things, will you?”</p><p>  Rockman smiled, but it faded quickly. “What… what did your father think?” he asked hesitantly.</p><p>  Enzan stared at the ceiling for a second, trying to think of a good way to answer the question. “My father disapproved,” he said finally. “It was a waste of time, he said. He couldn’t believe I would do something so pointless. He demanded that I stop net-battling and dye my hair back to the way it normally was. He even threatened to get rid of Blues if I continued.”</p><p>  “And?” Rockman asked after a few seconds of silence.</p><p>  “And I said no,” Enzan replied. “That was the first time I had ever said no to my father. He screamed at me when I said it, using insults about my—my mother, and calling me worthless. I screamed back, saying he had no right to take away what was mine. I had made Blues myself and worked hard to become a skilled net-battler. That was <em>mine</em>, not his, and he couldn’t take that away. And it worked.”</p><p>  “It worked?” Rockman repeated.</p><p>  “I made an impression on him, I think,” Enzan said. “He loosened up on my studies and allowed me to keep net-battling. I kept getting better and better, coming through battles undefeated and gaining more skill with each one. My father was keeping track of my progress, although I didn’t know it at the time. When I was eleven, he invited me to one of the company’s board meetings.” Enzan smirked at the memory. “He announced to the astonishment of the other board members that he was making me vice president of IPC, his company.”</p><p>  “I should probably be surprised, but nothing you say surprises me anymore, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said.</p><p>  “You don’t believe me?” Enzan asked. “It’s true!”</p><p>  “I know it’s true,” Rockman replied with a smile. “That’s why you don’t surprise me anymore. I know I can trust anything you say.”</p><p>  Enzan thought about that for a moment. While he had to work hard to maintain his father’s trust, all he had to do with Rockman was prove his trustworthiness, and the navi would follow him everywhere. It wasn’t like Blues. It would never occur to Blues to doubt Enzan for a moment. He was too much like the operator to distrust him. He was a reflection of Enzan, more confident and in control of his emotions, but a close match just the same.</p><p>  With Rockman, Enzan had to loosen up to communicate with the navi. They were so different they should be incompatable, but somehow Enzan had learned to adjust. If Blues was his mirror, Rockman was his opposite. Their relationship shouldn’t work at all… yet it did.</p><p>  “So, you’re still the vice president?” Rockman asked, startling him out of his thoughts.</p><p>  “Yes. It’s not an easy job, but I deal with it,” Enzan said. He sighed. “I admit, it’s nice to get a break, even if that break includes nearly being beaten to death, waking up as someone else, and dealing with you.”</p><p>  “Hey!” Rockman cried, but he knew Enzan’s words were teasing. “I’m not that bad, am I?”</p><p>  “No. You’re worse,” Enzan answered. “You fret about everything, you don’t believe in your own abilities, and you worry too much about peoples’ reactions. You need to relax a bit.”</p><p>  “I have good reason to fret, with you running around getting beat up,” Rockman shot back. “You have to admit I’m getting more confident in my abilities, and you worry too much about peoples’ reactions too. Admit it.”</p><p>  Enzan didn’t answer. His eyes were closed and his breath came at an even pace.</p><p>  “You faker,” Rockman grumbled. “You just don’t want to answer me.”</p><p>  Enzan tried very hard, but he couldn’t help smiling slightly.</p><p>  “Ha! I knew it!” Rockman chortled, seeing the smile. He laughed, dropping the annoyed attitude. “Good night, Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  “Good night,” Enzan replied.</p><p>  It had been the first time he had ever told his life story to anyone. He expected to be bitter, yet his closing exchange with Rockman made him feel like he had removed a weight from his chest.</p><p><em>  I’m getting comfortable here</em>, he thought. <em>I’m slowly getting used to being Hikari Enzan. That’s why I’m acting differently; I don’t have to be the person I was. </em></p><p>  That frightened him. If he truly became Hikari Enzan, he may never get home. <em>Is that what Hino Ken meant by not trusting Rockman? Could he have figured out that the navi was changing me in some way?</em></p><p>  It was ridiculous. He needed Rockman. He was just loosening his control on his emotions because he didn’t need to wear a mask in this reality. He wasn’t under the constant scrutiny of his father or others. He could be himself. That’s all he was doing. Being himself.</p><p><em>  So why does it frighten me so much?</em> Enzan wondered. He found no answer by the time sleep came.</p><p># # #</p><p>  Saloma studied the data she had just decoded.</p><p>  “Well?” Commander Beef asked.</p><p>  Saloma sighed. “They discovered him. That’s all I can figure out from this mess. Whoever encoded it accidentally deleted half the material!”</p><p>  “On purpose, no doubt,” Beef replied. “They knew we’re watching them, and this information was too easy to get.”</p><p>  Saloma gave him an exasperated look. “I spent five hours trying to get this!”</p><p>  “No matter,” Beef said. “They know we know they’re up to something.”</p><p>  Saloma counted on her fingers, trying to make sense of Beef’s sentence.</p><p>  “We have to face it. We’re outnumbered, outgunned, and out of our league,” Beef said heavily. “If this keeps up, someone could get hurt before we stop them. We need to fight fire with fire.”</p><p>  “We just lost our fire,” Saloma said gloomily.</p><p>  “There’s more where it came from,” Beef replied. “I’m relying on you to get it for us.”</p><p>  “More where… oh, no,” Saloma said, the meaning of Beef’s words dawning on her. “We can’t!”</p><p>  Beef gave her a look. It was one he knew she couldn’t argue with it.</p><p>  “Oh, no,” Saloma groaned.</p><p># # #</p><p>  The cheering of the crowd roared in Enzan’s ears as Midorikawa Kero proclaimed him the victor of the match. It was three days since his “accident” and he was back to competing. His arm had healed remarkably fast, as had the rest of his body. He could see out of his blackened eye now, which had turned into an interesting shade of yellow. It wasn’t attractive, but at least it was functional. He still had dizzy spells, but during the net-battle, he let nothing but the match matter.</p><p>  “And that wraps up our first session of net-battles!” Midorikawa cried. “For the semifinals, we have a special treat for you. They will be tag team battles, and the last surviving tag team will face each other in the final round! It will be the ultimate test of teamwork and friendship!”</p><p>  “Does that woman ever stop over-dramatizing?” Enzan asked.</p><p>  “I don’t believe so,” Rockman replied. “It’s her job.”</p><p>  “I have just received word on the first tag team face-off!” Midorikawa yelled. She never stopped yelling, as far as Enzan was concerned. “The first tag team is Hikari Enzan’s Rockman and Ijuuin Netto’s Blues!”</p><p>  “<em>What</em>?” Rockman gasped.</p><p>  Enzan only smiled grimly. He had been expecting it, but it was interesting to hear. He wasn’t sure if Rockman was ready for such a match yet.</p><p>  “They will be facing—what’s this?” Midorikawa stopped, sounding genuinely surprised. “It seems these navis have no operators! According to my information, they claim to be true net navis, or independent net navis, programmed to act without an operator.”</p><p>  Enzan frowned. The “true” net navis he had faced turned out to be the creations of Wily, the leader of World Three. What was an independent net navi doing in a reality without World Three?</p><p>  “These independent net navis are Shiningman and Fireman!” Kero called.</p><p>  Enzan felt his blood run cold. “<em>Fireman</em>?”</p><p>  “Yes, it’s true!” Midorikawa boomed. “You heard it here first, everyone! Fireman and Shiningman, independent net navis, will be facing the tag team of Blues and Rockman in three hours! Reserve your seat now, folks, because it’ll be a battle to remember!”</p><p>  “There must be some mistake,” Enzan stammered. “This can’t be right!”</p><p>  “What’s wrong, Enzan-sama?” Rockman asked.</p><p>  “Fireman is Hino Ken’s navi, don’t you remember?” Enzan said.</p><p>  “I didn’t know Hino Ken had a navi,” Rockman replied. “I never saw it.”</p><p>  “Oh. Well, he is,” Enzan said. “He can’t be an independent net navi; that stupid announcer woman got it wrong!”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, she’s getting her information from the officials themselves,” Rockman replied. “She can’t make a mistake like that.”</p><p>  “But she’s wrong, unless…” Enzan stopped, his eyes wide.</p><p>  “Unless something happened to Hino Ken,” he said slowly.</p><p>  “You don’t think…” Rockman said.</p><p>  “He warned me that something would,” Enzan said grimly. “But how can that be? Wasn’t he an official of the N1?”</p><p>  “If he was, I can check the database,” Rockman replied. “But I think you’re right; he <em>was</em> an official. Why would his net navi be participating in the tournament?”</p><p>  Enzan plugged Rockman into the nearest computer terminal and waited patiently for the navi to return. It didn’t take Rockman long to appear back on the screen.</p><p>  “Well?” Enzan asked.</p><p>  Rockman was staring at Enzan grimly. “He’s not listed under any database of the officials or participants. I think you may be right, Enzan-sama. Something happened to him.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Enzan’s background was up in the air at the time of writing this fanfic. I believe later canon confirmed his mother was around and died when he was really young. Gonna label this fic ‘a product of its time’ and leave it at that.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Fireman… a True Net Navi?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Enzan slammed his fist against a wall, glaring at the door in front of him.</p><p>  “It’s like he disappeared into thin air!” he snapped. “No one even remembers seeing Hino Ken!”</p><p>  “Maybe he lied about being an official,” Rockman suggested.</p><p>  “But why do that?” Enzan asked. “He had no reason to, unless I’m not supposed to trust him either… argh! None of this makes sense!”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, the match starts in fifteen minutes,” Rockman said. “I’m just as worried as you are, but can’t we look for him after the match?”</p><p>  “We might have to,” Enzan said grimly, starting toward the main dome. “I don’t feel right facing off against Fireman without knowing where his operator is. It’s too much of a coincidence.”</p><p>  “What about the match itself?” Rockman asked.</p><p>  Enzan thought for a moment. “I don’t care about what happens to Shiningman, but I want to be cautious around Fireman.”</p><p>  “Blues and Netto might not see it the same way,” Rockman warned.</p><p>  “If they get in our way…” Enzan trailed off. What was he saying? This was Blues, his Blues, he was talking about. “If they try to take Fireman out, we’ll have to stop them. I need that navi, Rockman. He’s my only link to Hino Ken.”</p><p>  “Understood,” Rockman replied, his expression serious. Like Enzan, he knew that Blues was formidable, either as an opponent or as a teammate. As they neared the dome, the cheering of the crowd grew louder.</p><p>  “Are you ready for this, Rockman?” Enzan asked.</p><p>  “I’m ready for anything if you are,” Rockman replied.</p><p>  “Right,” Enzan breathed. He walked calmly onto the stadium floor. Netto was already at the terminal, waiting for him.</p><p>  “What took you so long?” Netto asked, smirking. “Blues and I have been here ten minutes already!”</p><p>  “Had a little date,” Enzan replied. He looked Netto in the eyes. “Listen, there’s something about Fireman you need to know.”</p><p>  “And the match is about to start!” Kero announced.</p><p>  “Better plug in,” Netto said.</p><p>  “I don’t need you to tell me what to do!” Enzan snapped. “Plug in, Rockman.EXE! Transmission!”</p><p>  Rockman appeared next to Blues on the battlefield. Across the field, Fireman’s top torch burned brightly, obscuring his face, and his arms ended in a similar design, resembling cannons. Shiningman bounced from one foot to the other, looking eager to get started.</p><p>  “Looks like this’ll be easy,” Blues commented.</p><p>  Rockman didn’t look at Blues as he spoke. “Stay away from Fireman. He’s mine.”</p><p>  Blues looked at Rockman oddly, startled by the blue navi’s sudden behavior change.</p><p>  “Battle start!” Kero yelled. The words flashed across the screen and the crowd roared their approval.</p><p>  Shiningman shot forward, both hands warping into swords. He headed straight for Blues, crossing the swords in front of him like open scissors.</p><p>  “He doesn’t have to wait for an operator to slot in the chips,” Netto said. “Blues! Shake him up a bit!”</p><p>  “Rockman! Get as close to Fireman as you can!” Enzan called.</p><p>  Rockman took off like a shot, leaving Shiningman for Blues. He formed his Rockbuster and kept his hand on it, his eyes focused on Fireman. His opponent never made a move, watching the smaller navi approach.</p><p>  “Are you crazy?” Netto cried, turning to Enzan. “Your navi is better at far range attacks then close up.”</p><p>  “Don’t tell me how to fight, <em>Netto</em>,” Enzan replied crossly. “I’m been doing it longer than you have.”</p><p>  “Want to bet?” Netto challenged, turning to face Enzan.</p><p>  “Netto-kun, the <em>net-battle</em>,” Blues said pointedly. He was trying to fend off Shiningman with one sword, his standard weapon. “A little help would be nice.”</p><p>  “Idiot,” Enzan hissed, turning his attention back to the battle. Rockman was still running straight toward Fireman, focused only on his goal. He was closing the gap between them fast, and Fireman had yet to blink.</p><p>  “Flame Tower!” Fireman yelled, slamming the ground with his arm cannons. A huge wall of liquid fire appeared in front of him, rushing straight for Rockman.</p><p>  Netto decided to copy his opponent’s strategy. “Aqua Sword!” Netto called, slotting the chip in.</p><p>  Blues crossed his swords and eyed the caped net navi. “Looks like we’re even,” he said.</p><p>  Shiningman swung his swords toward each other, smashing them together. A blinding light flared from his hands as the swords broke.</p><p>  “Cheap trick!” Blues snapped, rushing forward with his sword poised for the attack. His visor shielded his eyes from being blinded by such techniques. He slashed the Aqua Sword through his opponent. Shiningman faded from view, like a ghost in candlelight.</p><p>  “<em>What</em>?” Netto cried.</p><p>  “He was an afterimage!” Blues yelled, looking around frantically. “He used that light so I couldn’t see him make a break for it!”</p><p>  “Area Steal!” Enzan yelled, slotting in the chip.</p><p>  Rockman’s shape blurred and disappeared right before the Flame Tower rushed over the spot he had been in. He appeared behind Fireman, his Rockbuster pointed at the navi’s back. “Gotcha!”</p><p>  Something painful slammed into the side of his head and knocked him sideways. Rockman recovered quickly and scrambled to his feet, unable to believe his eyes. Shiningman was standing at Fireman’s back. His arm was morphed into a shotgun and he was pointing it at Rockman.</p><p>  “No deal!” Blues snapped, running up to the caped navi. He took a swipe at Shiningman with his standard sword. The navi disappeared using the power of Area Steal, appearing several grid-squares away.</p><p>  “What are you doing?” Rockman cried. “You were supposed to be taking care of Shiningman!”</p><p>  “You should be more aware of your surroundings!” Blues shot back. “He could’ve run you right through!”</p><p>  “Can’t handle your own battles, Netto?” Enzan mocked, angry at the turn of events. “Maybe you should just sit it out and let us deal with it!”</p><p>  Netto snarled at Enzan silently, not bothering to respond.</p><p>  “Where’s Fireman?” Rockman asked, looking around. Blues whirled, but he couldn’t see the flame-spewing navi either. He had disappeared while his opponents were dealing with Shiningman.</p><p>  “Netto-kun?” Blues called, raising his sword.</p><p>  “I can’t see him,” Netto replied, scanning the field. “It’s like he disappeared.”</p><p>  “Fire Sword, slot in!” Enzan called. “Rockman, I don’t want Shiningman interfering again.”</p><p>  “As you wish, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied. He ran toward Shiningman, holding the sword in a guard position.</p><p>  “Wait!” Netto cried. “The direct approach won’t work!”</p><p>  “Who said I was taking the direct approach?” Enzan asked grimly. “Area Steal! Mini Bomb! Slot in!”</p><p>  Rockman faded from view. Shiningman immediately ran forward, but a Mini Bomb exploded at his feet, stopping him in his tracks. Rockman appeared behind him, his Fire Sword poised for the final blow.</p><p>  Shiningman’s upper body was sliced in half and he disappeared in a swirl of data, which formed the words <strong>Log Out</strong> before it disappeared.</p><p>  “That takes care of one of them,” Blues said. “Now to find the other one.”</p><p>  “That was my battle!” Enzan exploded, turning toward Netto. “You should have stayed out of it!”</p><p>  “We were only trying to help you!” Netto shouted back. “This is supposed to be a team effort, remember?”</p><p>  Rockman sighed loudly. “Enzan-sama has a point,” he said.</p><p>  “Do you have a problem—” Blues started to say.</p><p>  “Red Wave!”</p><p>  Rockman and Blues spun to see a wall of red lava rushing toward them. It covered the entire battle field, leaving no space for escape.</p><p>  “Fireman has come up with a brilliant strategy while his opponents were distracted!” Midorikawa cried from the announcer’s booth. “This looks like it could be the end!”</p><p>  “Does she ever shut up?” Enzan mumbled, searching his chip pack desperately.</p><p>  “It does get annoying,” Netto agreed, doing the same. “Aha!” He held up a chip almost the same moment Enzan did.</p><p>  “Aqua Tower!” they shouted simultaneously.</p><p>  Rockman and Blues slammed their hands down on the battleground. Twin towers of water shot up from the ground and rushed forward, merging as one. They smashed into the middle of the fire wave and cut straight through it. Rockman and Blues braced themselves against the ground as the two halves of the Red Wave rumbled passed them. The heat was scorching, but it was mercifully brief as the wave passed quickly.</p><p>  “That was close, Enzan-sama,” Rockman commented, wiping his forehead. Blues stood up f from his crouching position next to the blue navi.</p><p>  “Jus—look behind you!” Enzan cried.</p><p>  “Blues!” Netto shouted at the same time. “Duck!”</p><p>  Rockman whirled to see Fireman standing behind him. Blues ducked low, but he saw Rockman’s vulnerable position and moved to shove him out of the way.</p><p>  “Fire Boom!” Fireman called, bringing his flaming forearms up. Two balls of fire shot out of his arm cannons and hit the two navis dead on. Rockman was hit in the chest and knocked several feet backwards. Blues was hit in the side and sent rolling. His Aqua Sword had shattered from the impact of the fireball. He managed to skid to his knees close to Rockman’s prone body.</p><p>  “Direct hit!” Midorikawa yelled. “Both Blues and Rockman have lost considerable hitpoints!”</p><p>  “Get up, Rockman!” Enzan yelled.</p><p>  “I-I’m trying,” Rockman moaned, getting on his hands and knees.</p><p>  “That does it!” Netto snapped. “Paladin Sword, slot in! Blues, show him our whirlwind!”</p><p>  “No!” Enzan cried, grabbing Netto’s arm. “You don’t know what you’re doing!”</p><p>  “Right, Netto-kun!” Blues called. He froze as Rockman latched onto his leg. “What are you doing?” Blues cried, trying to shake the blue navi off.</p><p>  “You don’t understand,” Rockman gasped. Blues reached down and hauled Rockman to his feet by the pack on his back. Rockman blinked and looked up at Blues sheepishly.</p><p>  “Stop messing around,” Blues told him.</p><p>  “We have to be careful about Fireman!” Enzan snapped. “There’s something not right about this battle, can’t you see?”</p><p>    “Yeah, there’s something wrong. You!” Netto yelled back. “What do you want me to do, let Blues lose?”</p><p>  “If anything, we can hit him together,” Enzan replied.</p><p>  “How?” Netto asked skeptically.</p><p>  Fireman slammed his arm cannons against the ground again. “Flame Tower!”</p><p>  “Doesn’t he get tired off that?” Rockman wondered.</p><p>  “Mini Bomb!” Enzan and Netto yelled.</p><p>  Blues and Rockman pitched a handle of Mini Bombs at the Flame Tower. The bombs had their intended effect and destroyed the chip attack. Smoke covered the battlefield, hiding Blues and Rockman from view. Fireman looked to his left, hearing someone approach.</p><p>  A sword appeared out of the smoke. Fireman caught it in his hands and pulled the attacker out into view. Rockman’s free arm flailed in the air, and he tried to kick Fireman. The taller navi snapped the sword in half in his hands, but that allowed Rockman to slip from his grip. The blue navi immediately scurried out of the way.</p><p>  “Got you.”</p><p>  Fireman whirled around to see Blues standing behind him. “Aqua Tower!” Blues called, sending the shaft of water toward Fireman.</p><p>  Fireman had no time to move. The Aqua Tower hit him straight on and knocked him backwards.</p><p>  “Yes!” Netto cheered.</p><p>  Fireman screamed. For a moment, his scream changed in pitch, and his face flickered like it wasn’t really there…</p><p>  And with a gasp, Enzan saw the face of Hino Kenichi.</p><p><em>  Now</em> he knew what Fireman was doing in the tournament as an independent net navi. The white-haired boy wasn’t sure if it was even possible, but somehow Hino Ken was either in his navi’s body or directly connected to it.</p><p>  “All we have to do is wear him down!” Netto cried. He had been watching Blues and hadn’t seen what Enzan had seen. “Blues! It’s time to finish this!”</p><p>  “Rockman, no matter what, you can’t harm Fireman!” Enzan cried.</p><p>  “Blues, no!” Rockman cried, seeing the red navi run passed him, sword raised. Fireman was slowly getting to his feet; Blues wasn’t going to let him complete his goal.</p><p>  “No!” Rockman tackled Blues from behind, knocking the navi to the ground.</p><p>  “Rockman, have you gone mad?” Blues snapped.</p><p>  “Enzan!” Netto cried.</p><p>  “And Rockman has turned on his partner!” Midorikawa cried. “What can his operator be thinking? This betrayal is unforgivable!”</p><p>  The crowd hissed and booed, and Enzan heard several insults aimed at him.</p><p>  “I hate that announcer,” Enzan growled. “Netto, just hear me out.”</p><p>  “Rockman, what are you doing?” Blues cried.</p><p>  Rockman wrapped his arms around Blues’ body, pinning the taller navi’s arms to his sides. “Blues, please stop,” Rockman begged. “I don’t want to hurt you.”</p><p>  “<em>Hurt me</em>?” Blues sputtered.</p><p>  Fireman began to walk toward the two, his eyes glowing. “Delete,” he hissed.</p><p># # #</p><p>   “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Saloma muttered. “Who would have thought I would stoop this low? Me, Saloma, just trying to do her duty. In broad daylight, without my disguise at that. What has this world come to?”</p><p>  Things were getting desperate, Beef had said. They needed all the help they could get. Immersion was planning something big. The Science Labs weren’t the only place under attack. All over the world, important government facilities and private companies were under fire. The puzzling thing was that once the defenses were smashed, the place was left alone. No data was stolen or tampered with. It was like they were mocking the Net Agents.</p><p>  Saloma stopped in front of a small business front and looked at the sign.</p><p>  “I must be insane,” she said. With a sigh, she entered.</p><p>  “Welcome to our curry house!”</p><p>  Saloma turned to her left to see Jack Elec, better known as Count Elec of World Three. His blond hair spiked out in very distinctive directions and he had two rounded things (Saloma wasn’t sure what they were) covering his ears. He wore a white apron over his brown suit.</p><p>  “Madoi! Mahajarama! We have a costumer!” Elec bellowed.</p><p>  “I know,” commented a dry voice. It came from next to Saloma’s ear. She gave a small shriek and jumped to the side, whirling to see a brown-skinned man standing behind her.</p><p>  “I’m not exactly a costumer,” Saloma began.</p><p>  “Oh?” Madoi said, sticking her head out from a corner. “Then you’re not welcome.”</p><p>  “Madoi, don’t be hasty,” Mahajarama warned.</p><p>  “Aren’t you all worried about Hino Ken?” Saloma spoke up. It was like she had spoken a magical word. Madoi and Elec walked closer to her, and Mahajarama moved to block the door.</p><p>  “What about Hino Ken?” Elec asked suspiciously. “You know where he is?”</p><p>  “Yes and no. Let me explain,” Saloma said. “I am a Net Agent—”</p><p>  That was as far as she got.</p><p>  “Net Agent!” Madoi cried. “You can’t arrest us, we haven’t done anything!”</p><p>  “That’s not exactly true,” Mahajarama put in.</p><p>  “They must have snatched up Hino Ken and have now come for the rest of us!” Elec cried. “<em>Oh my God</em>!”</p><p>  “We haven’t done anything recently!” Madoi protested.</p><p>  “That’s not exactly true either,” Mahajarama replied.</p><p>  “We’re going to go to jail! I’ll never see the light of day again!” Elec continued to yell, waving his arms.</p><p>  “No, no!” Saloma yelled. “Shut up and listen to me for a second! I’m not here to arrest you. I was sent to ask for your help.”</p><p>  “Us? Help Net Agents?” Elec snorted. “You have to be kidding!”</p><p>  Madoi laughed. “Why would we do that?”</p><p>  “Because Hino Ken was willing to do it, and for that he paid a price,” Saloma said grimly. “He saw the writing on the wall and decided to do something about it.”</p><p>  The three feel silent and stared at her. Saloma saw her chance and quickly explained the situation, starting with the abductions, and ending with Hino Ken’s sacrifice.</p><p>  “We believe he’s still alive,” Saloma said. “However, we don’t know how long they are planning to keep him that way. Everyone Immersion has sunk their claws into is in great danger, and if we let them get their way, the rest of the world may follow. If not for anything else, please help us rescue Hino Ken.”</p><p>  “Please give us a moment to discuss this,” Mahajarama said politely. When Saloma nodded her head, a bit confused at his good manners, Mahajarama grabbed both Madoi and Elec and dragged them into the kitchen. Saloma leaned against the wall and waited, catching snippets of their conversation.</p><p>  “…must be crazy, even considering…”</p><p>  “I’ve heard bad things… Hino Ken had good reason…”</p><p>  “<em>Oh my God</em>!”</p><p>  That last one was Elec, using his crazy mixture of Japanese and English again. Saloma found it extremely annoying, but like Mahajarama, Elec was a foreigner. His lapses into his native tongue were only natural.</p><p>  “But helping the Net Agents…”</p><p>  “We may not have a choice… and Hino Ken…”</p><p>  “<em>This is crazy</em>!”</p><p>  Silence reigned for several minutes. Saloma had to resist the strong urge to peek around the corner into the kitchen to see what was going on. Just when she had lost her patience and was about to do just that, Mahajarama stepped around the corner and nearly collided with her.</p><p>  “Yeaaargh!” Saloma screamed, jumping back. She held a hand against her chest to calm her pounding heart. The members of World Three stared at her.</p><p>  “We have come to a decision,” Mahajarama announced gravely. He always spoke in the same monotone voice, making it impossible to read his true emotions.</p><p>  “We’re going to help you,” Madoi said. “Not because we want to, but because we have to. We can’t let Immersion try to take over the world. That’s our job!”</p><p>  “Besides, we can’t leave Hino Ken in their hands,” Elec added. “No one does that to one of us and gets away with it!”</p><p>  “Great,” Saloma said, flustered. She forced herself to smile, but her true feelings were anything but happy. <em>What have we just gotten ourselves into?</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Shingingman sings a theme song in his net-battle. I was not willing to type out Shingingman’s theme song. I’m not sorry.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Trouble Brewing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  The holographic projection of the netbattle showed a close-up of Rockman tackling Blues from behind. The crowd gasped in shock and watched as the two navis struggled with each other. On the stadium floor, the operators were doing the same. It was obvious they were arguing loudly with each other, even though what they were saying couldn’t be heard.</p><p>  “What is Enzan doing?” Tohru cried. He leaned forward in his seat, watching the proceedings with horror.</p><p>  “Isn’t it obvious?” Dekao asked. “He’s trying to rig the net-battle! He wants to take Netto out of the picture so he doesn’t have to face him in the finals!”</p><p>  “What a creep,” Yaito mumbled. She was sitting with the others, and she glanced down at her PET. Glyde was plugged into a special jack on the seat so he could watch the net-battle easily from the Internet. He was with the other navis now, watching the battle with horrified fascination.</p><p>  “I knew he was low,” Yaito continued, “But I never expected something like this. Why haven’t they disqualified him yet?</p><p>  “Technically, he’s not doing anything wrong,” Higure admitted. He was sitting next to Meiru, watching the net-battle with the same intensity the others were. “His strategy is puzzling, but there’s no rules prohibiting attacking your tag team partner. As long as it’s a participating navi, the normal battle rules apply.”</p><p>  “What is Rockman doing? This isn’t like him!” Roll cried. She clasped her hands together with worry. Gutsman gently patted her shoulder, sympathizing with her.</p><p>  “He’s following his operator’s orders,” Meiru replied, glancing at her PET. “He has no choice, Roll-chan. I’m sure Blues will be okay; he’s a good fighter.”</p><p>  “This is outrageous!” Glyde said indignantly.</p><p>  Gutsman continued to silently comfort Roll, knowing how much she cared about Blues. He’d rather her care about him in that way, but when it came down to it, he wanted to see her happy, no matter what.</p><p># # #</p><p>  On the battlefield, Rockman and Blues were still struggling with each other. Rockman was sitting on Blues’ back, trying to pin the taller navi without hurting him. Blues wasn’t cooperating; the red navi had lost his patience with his partner and was trying his hardest to shake Rockman off.</p><p>  “Enzan! What do you think you’re doing?” Netto demanded. He grabbed the taller boy by the collar of his vest, forcing Enzan to look him in the eye.</p><p>  “Listen to me!” Enzan yelled back. “That’s not Fireman! It’s his operator, Hino Ken!”</p><p>  “You’re crazy,” Netto breathed. He released Enzan and turned back to his PET. “Blues! If you have to attack Rockman to save yourself, do it! We’ve got no choice now!”</p><p>  “Netto—” Enzan started to say.</p><p>  Netto whirled and punched his partner in the face. He stared at Enzan, shocked at his own behavior.</p><p>  Enzan stared back, equally shocked. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and Enzan wiped it away.</p><p>  “I do not know what your intentions are, but I will not let you endanger Blues,” Netto said quietly, turning back to the battle. “He means everything to me, and I won’t let anyone take him away.”</p><p>  Enzan did not respond and turned toward the battle as well. He couldn’t help noticing the scorch marks on Rockman’s body as the navi struggled with Blues. Rockman’s face was twisted with pain, both at the wounds he had received and the anguish of having to attack someone he respected so much.</p><p><em>  I’ve been ignoring his injuries and feelings</em>, Enzan thought. <em>All I could think of was myself, and I let him get hurt. I purposely put him in this situation. If he were Blues, I would’ve cared. I would have put him above everything else, no matter how important it was to me. But he isn’t Blues, he’s Rockman. Because of that, I didn’t care.</em></p><p>
  <em>  I’m worse than my father.</em>
</p><p>  “Rockman, what are you doing?” Blues cried.</p><p>  Rockman wrapped his arms around Blues’ body, pinning the taller navi’s arms to his sides. “Blues, please stop,” Rockman begged. “I don’t want to hurt you.”</p><p>  “<em>Hurt me</em>?” Blues sputtered.</p><p>  “Delete.”</p><p>  Blues and Rockman looked up to see Fireman standing a few meters away, his arm cannons aflame. Rockman’s eyes went wide and his body rigid as he froze with fear.</p><p>  “Rockman! Get out of there!” Enzan cried.</p><p>  “Flame Tower!” Fireman roared, slamming his flaming arms against the ground. A tower of fire rose up in front of him, filling the two navis’ vision.</p><p>  Blues couldn’t move. Rockman had locked his legs around Blues’ knees, and the blue navi was frozen in that position. Blues covered his face and flinched, braced for the worst.</p><p>  Nothing happened.</p><p>  Rockman blinked, watching the fiery tower pass them by a far distance. “He missed us completely?” Rockman asked incredulously.</p><p>  “Get off me <em>now</em>,” Blues growled.</p><p>  Rockman jumped as if he had forgotten he was sitting on his partner. Blues abruptly shot up, knocking the blue navi off of him. He got to his feet and looked down at Rockman.</p><p>  “I don’t know what your problem is,” he snapped. “But cut it out! You’re going to get us both deleted!”</p><p>  “Sorry,” Rockman whispered.</p><p>  “Blues!” Netto called. “Let’s end this. Sword, Wide Sword, slot in!”</p><p>  Blues held out his arms as his hands morphed into two swords. He slowly began to approach Fireman, who merely watched the red navi.</p><p>  “I’m sorry,” Rockman said again, his voice louder. “But I can’t let you defeat him.” He launched himself at Blues’ back again. The red navi turned his head slightly, aware of Rockman’s every move. He held his sword up protectively, poising it to strike backwards if necessary.</p><p>  “Rockman, stop!” Enzan cried. Rockman slowed to a stop and looked confused.</p><p>  Blues started whirling, placing one foot before the other and neatly twisting it so he moved in a smooth twirl. His swords and body began to blur until he formed a red whirlwind. The whirlwind, Blues in its core, headed straight for Fireman, who crouched in a defensive position.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, why?” Rockman asked.</p><p>  “I don’t want you getting hurt,” Enzan said softly. “You have enough damage.”</p><p>  “But you worked so hard to learn the truth. Hino Ken is your only lead!” Rockman protested.</p><p>  “It isn’t worth taking the chance,” Enzan replied, sounding weary. He knew his actions meant destroying his chances at going home.</p><p>  Rockman stood up straight, a look of determination on his face. “I won’t let you down, Enzan-sama. No matter what!” He shot forward again, heading for the heart of the battle.</p><p>  “No, Rockman!” Enzan cried.</p><p>  Blues’ whirlwind had nearly reached Fireman. The fiery navi just stood there, doing nothing to prevent his impending doom.</p><p>  “It’s over,” Netto stated. “Nothing can withstand Blues’ whirlwind.”</p><p>  “Fire Boom!” Fireman fired off two fireballs, one at the base and one at the middle. The whirlwind vanished and Blues collapsed on the ground. One of his legs was badly charred.</p><p>  “Blues! Are you all right?” Netto cried. He could tell the navi was in pain. Netto had been telling the truth; nothing could withstand Blues’ whirlwind. But in order for it to be effective, it had to reach its opponent first.</p><p>  In the stands, Netto’s friends were glued to the battle.</p><p>  “I don’t understand it,” Meiru said, frowning. “Netto’s an exceptional net-battler, and Fireman is average. Even with Rockman interfering, he shouldn’t be doing this badly.”</p><p>  “They are both exceptional net-battlers, Netto and Enzan,” Higure replied. “Enzan has proven that throughout the N1 Grand Prix. The problem is they aren’t working together.”</p><p>  “That’s an understatement,” Dekao mumbled.</p><p>  “Blues—and Netto—are reluctant to strike back at Rockman because they know he’s trying to follow his operator’s orders,” Higure continued. “They also know he isn’t trying to hurt Blues.”</p><p>  “But why is Enzan doing this to begin with?” Tohru asked.</p><p>  Higure sighed. “Only Enzan can answer that.”</p><p>  On the battlefield, Fireman aimed his flaming cannons at Blues. Blues was crouching on the ground, his wounded leg preventing him from moving. “Fire Boom!”</p><p>  “No!” Netto cried.</p><p>  Rockman threw himself in front of Blues, his arms spread out protectively. “Stop it!” he yelled.</p><p>  The fire balls exploded on impact. Smoke covered the battlefield, making it impossible to see.</p><p>  “This is amazing!” Midorikawa cried. “First Rockman seems to betray his partner, then he sacrifices himself to save Blues! I’ve never seen anything like it!”</p><p>  “Enzan?” Netto looked at his fellow net-battler uncertainly. To his surprise, Enzan was smirking.</p><p>  “That announcer gets everything wrong,” Enzan said smugly.</p><p>  The smoke on the battlefield cleared, revealing Rockman unscathed. A squared, shimmering patch of space in front of the blue navi slowly faded.</p><p><em>  He used a Barrier chip!</em> Netto realized.</p><p>  “Rockman…” Blues said softly.</p><p>  “Fireman, I’m trying to help you,” Rockman said, walking toward the fiery navi slowly. “I know something’s wrong. Please let us help.”</p><p>  “Listen to me, Netto,” Enzan said in a low voice. “Think! Doesn’t something about this battle strike you as odd? All of Fireman’s attacks looked forced, and he waits until the last moment to attack!”</p><p>  “That could be part of his strategy,” Netto replied, but he sounded unsure. He had noticed the hesitation in Fireman’s movements and attacks as well.</p><p>  “Help… me?” Fireman choked. He seemed to be struggling against some inner force to speak.</p><p>  “Yes!” Rockman replied, nodding encouragingly. “I’m trying to help.”</p><p>  “Help me… please,” Fireman moaned. “It hurts…”</p><p>  “Now do you believe me?” Enzan asked, glancing at Netto. “Even if everything I’ve said so far makes no sense, doesn’t that prove I’m right?”</p><p>  Netto seemed speechless for a moment. “All right,” he said finally. “I believe you. What should we do?”</p><p>  Blues pressed a hidden button on the side of his helmet. He briefly scanned Fireman, the results appearing on the inside of his visor. “Netto-kun, Fireman has sustained a lot of damage. Most of it we couldn’t have possibly caused. We haven’t hit him that much.”</p><p>  “He’s in pain,” Rockman said softly. “I can tell. He should have logged out a long time ago from his damage.”</p><p>  Blues nodded. “It doesn’t make sense that he would still be in the battle unless he’s being prevented from logging out. He could be preventing it himself, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.”</p><p>  Netto took a breath. “Okay, so he’s in this net-battle against his will. What do we do, try to stop the net-battle?”</p><p>  Rockman was almost touching the tall navi. He held up his arms to Fireman, staring into the fiery navi’s eyes. They were hauntingly familiar, and Rockman knew he had seen them before. “Are you Hino Ken?” he asked softly.</p><p>  Fireman cried out and clutched his head at Rockman’s words. He swung one arm out and shot off a fireball at where Rockman had been a split second before. The blue navi was now several meters away, carried there by Blues’ arms.</p><p>  “Are you okay?” Rockman asked with worry as Blues cringed.</p><p>  “My leg is in bad shape,” Blues replied, his voice thick with pain. “I was lucky to use my other leg for that jump, but I’m not going to be much help.”</p><p>  Fireman had stopped moving again. This time, his inner struggle was visible enough to see him shaking. Rockman bit his lower lip in concern as he helped Blues stand.</p><p>  “Netto, tell Blues to keep still, or he’ll damage himself even more,” Enzan said, glancing at his partner. “Rockman and I will have to take care of Fireman.”</p><p>  “How?” Netto replied. “He keeps attacking, no matter if it is by his own will or not.”</p><p>  Enzan racked his memory, trying to think of a solution. Fireman’s supposedly independent net navi stasis stuck in his mind, along with a memorable battle. It had been Stoneman and Bomberman versus Rockman and Sharkman, the net navi that belonged to Commander Beef, one of the more bizarre participants of the N1.</p><p>  “This battlefield is projected in the Mega Float’s own network, right?” he asked slowly.</p><p>  “So?” Netto asked.</p><p>  “So the Mega Float’s network must be connected to the Internet and other systems,” Enzan replied. “Even the battlefield must have a link or a weak spot connected to the Internet somewhere.”</p><p>  “What are you saying?” Netto asked.</p><p>  “I’m saying we could use that to our advantage,” Enzan replied. He started to smile slightly, the idea forming in his head. “What if we broke through to the Internet? All we would have to do would be to knock Fireman through before the rift closed. That way we could win the battle without deleting Fireman.”</p><p>  “It sounds crazy,” Netto said. Then he grinned. “I like it. Blues and I could never delete Fireman in the state he’s in, and at least in the Internet he has more of a chance then he does here.”</p><p><em>  It’s a slim chance</em>, Enzan thought. <em>And it means I’ll lose Hino Ken, perhaps for good. But I owe him this much.</em></p><p>  “How are you going to break through the battlefield’s network?” Blues asked.</p><p>  Rockman slowly eased Blues so the red navi was standing by himself. “You’ll see,” he said confidently. He knew what Enzan had in mind.</p><p>  “Are you ready, Rockman?” Enzan called. He grabbed the chips he needed from his pack, watching the battle keenly. “We only have one shot at this.”</p><p>  “I’m ready,” Rockman said. He slowly walked over so he was facing Fireman.</p><p>  “All right,” Enzan said softly. “Here we go. Battle chip, Sword, slot in!”</p><p>  “Sword!” Rockman repeated as the sword formed.</p><p>  “Wide Sword!” Enzan called, slotting in the chip.</p><p>  “Wide Sword!” Rockman repeated, the different type of sword forming on his other arm.</p><p>  Netto’s eyes went wide. <em>Could it be…?</em></p><p>  “Long Sword!” Enzan yelled, slotting in the last chip.</p><p>  Rockman’s body began to glow, and he held his hands up as the swords glowed purple.</p><p>  “Beta Sword!” operator and navi cried simultaneously. The purple blade resonated in Rockman’s hands. The light that came from it covered the entire battlefield, casting everything in an eerie glow. Rockman slammed the sword against the ground with a cry, sending a purple wave shooting down the battlefield. It missed Fireman by several meters and continued onward.</p><p>  “This is simply amazing!” Kero cried. “I’ve never seen anything like this before!”</p><p>  “It can’t be…” Higure gasped. “The Program Advance!”</p><p><em>  Keep going</em>, Enzan thought.</p><p><em>  Hang on just a bit longer</em>, Rockman silently begged himself.</p><p>  “Come on,” Netto breathed.</p><p>  The purple wave slammed into a barrier, the end of the battlefield. A brilliant light flared, blinding all those who were watching the netbattle.</p><p>  “Now, Blues!” Netto cried.</p><p>  Blues, the only one who was not blinded by the light, could see the hole leading to the Internet the Program Advance had caused. He leaped forward using his good leg and tackled the stunned Fireman around the waist at the same moment Netto slotted in the Area Steal chip. Blues and Fireman reappeared near the rift in the system.</p><p>  “Good luck,” Blues mumbled, shoving Fireman through. He wasn’t sure, but he thought he heard the navi whisper “thank you” before Fireman disappeared.</p><p>  The light faded, revealing Blues and Rockman the only navis still visible.</p><p>  “That was great, wasn’t it?” Midorikawa cried. “Rockman and Blues, using amazing teamwork, managed to defeat Fireman! I’m not sure how, but they did it! I’ve never seen anything like that attack before!”</p><p>  Enzan quickly plugged Rockman out and walked away from the stadium floor. Netto didn’t notice his partner was gone because he was too busy cheering with the crowd until Enzan was well down the hall.</p><p>  “Hey! Enzan!” Netto called. Enzan made no motion to indicate he had heard and continued walking.</p><p>  “Netto!” Meiru cried. She tackled Netto in a hug. “You were wonderful! That was a fantastic net-battle!”</p><p>  “Well…” Netto tried to say.</p><p>  “That was great!” Tohru enthused, running up to Netto. With him was the rest of the gang. Kero announced the highlights of the battle in the background as Netto greeted his friends. Still, he kept Enzan in the back of his mind.</p><p><em>  Could it be?</em> Netto wondered. <em>Could Enzan really know the Program Advance?</em></p><p># # #</p><p>  “What is this?” the woman asked softly. The data on her screen continued to pour in. “Hino Ken is still alive…”</p><p>  She tapped her chin and frowned. According to what her computer was telling her, Rockman had used a Program Advance to cut a hole in the battlefield’s system and forced Fireman out into the “Internet”—in reality, yet another part of the NetWorld. The plan had been to have Enzan and his navi delete Fireman—who was actually Hino Ken. It was easy to use the Net World to make him look like Fireman and forced him to fight in the battle.</p><p>  Could Hino Ken have told Enzan something that made the net-battler suspicious? No, that wasn’t possible. Even if it was, “Hikari Enzan” would have never listened. It must have been a fluke. After all, Hino Ken had been an unknown factor, and the Net World had not been prepared to push Ijuuin Enzan and Hikari Netto to delete Fireman.</p><p>  It didn’t matter. They could take care of Hino Ken without the help of the Net World. However, she would have to push the Net World’s programming ahead sooner than planned.</p><p>  “It’s time to start the last net-battle scenario,” she said.</p><p>  Her computer screen flickered. Then words appeared on it, forming in a scrolling motion across the screen.</p><p>
  <strong>  Agreed. The arrangements are being made now, and the battle shall take place in a few hours’ time in the Net World. Is there anything about it that should be changed?</strong>
</p><p>  “No,” the woman said. “We should stick to the plan. The Net World can push ahead and repair whatever damage Hino Kenichi of World Three has made.”</p><p>
  <strong>  Is the original plan still intact?</strong>
</p><p>  “Of course,” the woman said, smiling slightly. “I wouldn’t take the joy of that away from you.”</p><p>
  <strong>  You’re too kind.</strong>
</p><p>  The woman laughed. “Soon we’ll wipe them all out.”</p><p>
  <strong>  That isn’t part of the plan I know of.</strong>
</p><p>  “One thing at a time,” the woman said, smiling. “We’ll get to our goals soon enough. We must be patient just a little while longer, that’s all.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. The Final Battle, Roles Reversed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  “I’m sorry,” Enzan said softly. He sat on a large grassy patch outside the Mega Float, focused on the PET.</p><p>  “For what, Enzan-sama?” Rockman asked. He winced as Enzan applied the repair program on his arm.</p><p>  Rockman, despite his injuries, had insisted they look for Fireman after the match. Enzan had reluctantly plugged the navi in, and the blue navi had searched all over the Mega Float system.</p><p>  They found no sign of Fireman. Enzan convinced the reluctant Rockman to give it a break. He was touched at Rockman’s insistence to help him. It was a kindness he would pay back, the net-battler silently vowed.</p><p>  “I was selfish,” Enzan replied. He looked away from the PET. “I didn’t think about the damages you were receiving. I was so concerned with myself… I could have gotten you hurt badly.”</p><p>  Rockman was silent for a moment. “Enzan-sama, you were worried about me, weren’t you?”</p><p>  “I was, but only… only after I realized how hurt you were,” Enzan admitted. “I should have noticed that right away. I owe you my apologies.”</p><p>  “My old operator,” Rockman said hesitantly. “He never cared about what happened to me. I had to apply my own repair programs. He yelled at me when I did something to displease him and punished me for my mistakes. Compared to that, Enzan-sama…” Rockman smiled widely. “You’re an angel.”</p><p>  “An angel?” Enzan repeated. He stared at Rockman for a second. Then he laughed, clutching his stomach.</p><p>  “What?” Rockman asked. “You are!”</p><p>  Enzan continued to laugh, shaking his head. He hadn’t laughed in so long; he had forgotten how good it felt. He finally managed to get it under control, but his shoulders still shook with mirth. “An angel?” he repeated again, chuckling. “No one has ever called me that before.”</p><p>  “You’re my angel,” Rockman said shyly. “You saved me.”</p><p>  Enzan stopped laughing and studied Rockman. The navi was blushing slightly and looking at his feet. He meant it. Just like a child blurting out the first thing that came to mind, Rockman was eager to share his feelings most of the time. He had been forced to keep them bottled up inside until when finally given the chance, he let them spill out in fragmented, abstract words and thoughts.</p><p>  “Now why would you say that?” Enzan asked softly.</p><p>  “I had no hope until I met you,” Rockman replied. “You showed me that I could be something more than just useless. You risked your life to protect me, and you try to cheer me up when I’m upset. If that’s not angelic behavior, then what is?”</p><p>  Enzan laughed again. “Rockman,” he said. “You’re the only person who would think that. You seem to see something special in me that no one else does.”</p><p>  “I don’t think so,” Rockman replied quietly. “You’re good at hiding it, but I bet others have seen it. I’m probably not the only one to think you’re an angel either.”</p><p>  “Who else would?” Enzan asked, making a sweeping gesture. “I’m either Enzan, son of the company president, or Enzan, that jerk of a net-battler where I come from.”</p><p>  “Your mother would,” Rockman whispered.</p><p>  Enzan went rigid. “She died when I was born,” he stated flatly. “Why would she call the one who killed her an angel?”</p><p>  “No,” Rockman whispered, shaking his head. “How could you say that? You didn’t kill your mother!”</p><p>  “Then why did she die, Rockman?” Enzan replied bitterly. “Giving birth to me killed her.”</p><p>  “Did your father tell you that?” Rockman demanded sharply.</p><p>  “My father never speaks about my mother,” Enzan said softly. “I don’t even know her name. My father didn’t want my—my status ruining his reputation. He bought off the doctors to give him the documents of my birth, and he keeps them in his safe.”</p><p>  “Did your father tell you that you killed your mother?” Rockman repeated sharply.</p><p>  “Once,” Enzan admitted softly. “He was upset and he didn’t know what he was saying… I don’t even think he remembers he said it.”</p><p>  “He lied,” Rockman said firmly. “He lied to you, Enzan. Your mother loved you enough to take the risk of giving birth to you. She had to love you.”</p><p>  “I don’t know,” Enzan replied softly. “I… I try not to think about it most of the time. When I created Blues, he helped me get through everything I had to deal with.”</p><p>  “I’m sorry,” Rockman said softly. “I’m making you upset again.”</p><p>  “No, Rockman,” Enzan replied. “You were just saying what was on your mind. It isn’t your fault that I have such a miserable past. Now I just have a crazy navi to deal with.”</p><p>  “I’m not crazy!” Rockman protested.</p><p>  “An angel? Me?” Enzan pointed to his face. “You are out of your mind.”</p><p>  A button beeped on the PET, and Rockman examined himself. “The repairs are done, Enzan-sama,” he said, sounding surprised. “I didn’t even feel them.”</p><p>  “Well, good,” Enzan replied, standing up. “Let’s go back to the Mega Float. I’d like to find out what’s happening next.”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, about Hino Ken…” Rockman drifted off. “What happened to him?”</p><p>  “I don’t know,” Enzan said. “I can’t explain Fireman either. I just hope they both will be okay.”</p><p>  “Yeah,” Rockman replied softly.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “Ladies and gentlemen!” Midorikawa yelled, her voice blaring over the sound system. “Net-battlers and navis alike! I have important news for all of you!”</p><p>  “She was fired and they’re getting someone who isn’t annoying,” Enzan said, taking a bite out of his curry.</p><p>  “I don’t think we’re that lucky, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied. It was noon, and Enzan was gulping down his food as fast as he could. He knew something was going to happen; he could feel it in the air. All of the net-battles that had been scheduled were canceled for the morning, and the afternoon had been listed as “To Be Announced.”</p><p>  “After difficulty with our scheduled net-battles for today, the judges have disqualified the participants!” Midorikawa announced.</p><p>  “Disqualified?” Enzan repeated, frowning.</p><p>  “That leads us to the final battle much sooner than we thought!” Kero cried. “In two hours, it will take place in the main dome! Reserve your seat now for the battle of the century! I am getting word now about the participants…” She paused and ruffled through a few papers on her desk. “And it appears to be Hikari Enzan’s Rockman versus Ijuuin Netto’s Blues!”</p><p>  “So…” Enzan said softly. “It’s down to that after all.”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, can we really take on Blues and Netto?” Rockman asked with worry.</p><p>  “We’re going to have to,” Enzan replied. <em>And with Hino Ken gone, this battle may be my only chance to discover more about my situation.</em></p><p>  “I don’t think I can do it,” Rockman admitted.</p><p>  Enzan smirked. “That you don’t have to worry about. I’ve lived this whole tournament through once before, and I can guarantee a victory for us. You’ll see.”</p><p>  “I’ll take your word for it, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied, sounding more cheerful.</p><p>  Enzan got up from the table and headed for the practice room. It was nice to know Rockman believed in him wholeheartedly. He was confident in his skills and Rockman’s talent, but a little extra practice never hurt.</p><p># # #</p><p>  The cheers in the main dome were nearly deafening. Yaito had her hands clamped over her ears, even though she was cheering with the rest of them. It was five minutes before the net-battle, and the anticipation and excitement of the crowd was increasing with each second that passed by.</p><p>  “And now our net-battlers!” Kero announced. “Ijuuin Netto has achieved many things in his life, including being the vice president of his father’s company and a fantastic net-battling record. Give him a loud welcome!”</p><p>  Netto walked calmly up to the terminal. He smiled sheepishly at the roaring of the crowd, slightly embarrassed at the attention, but more pleased than anything else.</p><p>  “And for his opponent we have Hikari Enzan!” Kero cried. “Coming from Akihara Elementary School, he has had an impressive record in the tournament so far. He is the son of Hikari—”</p><p>  She fell silent, cutting herself off. The crowd’s roaring died down until it almost sounded like an angry mumbling. Enzan walked toward his terminal, sighing. <em>Stupid woman, why did she have to mention that?</em></p><p>  “Let’s get this over with, Rockman,” he said calmly, ignoring what was taking place in the stands.</p><p>  “Get stuffed, Hikari!” someone shouted. More jeers followed and within in instant, the crowd had turned from cheering in jubilance to booing and heckling.</p><p>  “Down with that loser!” Dekao shouted.</p><p>  “Dekao!” Yaito said sharply. “He may not be likable, but this isn’t fair.”</p><p>  “Yaito-chan has a point,” Tohru said. “They aren’t booing him because of who he is. They’re booing him because of his father.”</p><p>  “Poor Enzan,” Meiru said sadly. “To be judged for something he didn’t even do.”</p><p>  Dekao gave Meiru an odd look. “Did I just hear you express sympathy for <em>Enzan</em>?”</p><p>  “And it looks like the crowd has picked their favorite,” Midorikawa said. “With this much pressure from the crowd, can Hikari Enzan overcome it and still win the net-battle?”</p><p>  Enzan blinked, unable to believe the way things were going. “Oh, come on,” he said incredulously. “I haven’t done anything to deserve this much ridicule.”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, they aren’t being fair!” Rockman protested loudly.</p><p>  “This isn’t right,” Netto said softly, shaking his head. “They shouldn’t be doing this to him.”</p><p>  “Netto-kun, should we try to stop it somehow?” Blues asked.</p><p>  From across the stadium’s field, Enzan’s shoulders were visibly shaking and his head was bowed. Netto felt sorry for the older boy—the treatment he was receiving was outrageous.</p><p>  Enzan lifted his head. He was laughing. The crowd grew silent again, unsure of how to react.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama?” Rockman asked, worried.</p><p>  “Someone’s trying too hard to drag me down,” Enzan replied, plugging Rockman in. “Hino Ken was right, I guess. Don’t worry about me, Rockman. Just concentrate on the battle.”</p><p>  “Right!” Rockman replied, focusing on his opponent.</p><p>  “Well, at least he’s got a good attitude about it,” Netto said, a little unnerved.</p><p>  “It’s time for the big moment!” Kero yelled. “Net-battlers, prepare yourselves! Battle start!”</p><p>  The words <strong>Battle Start</strong> flashed overhead of Blues and Rockman, and before it had faded Rockman launched into his first attack using his Rockbuster. Blues dodged the shots with ease.</p><p>  “Aqua Sword!” Netto called, slotting in the chip. Blues used the water element sword to block more of Rockman’s buster shots. He swung his sword in front of him rapidly, creating a cutting wave of air pressure. Rockman dodged it and watched grimly as the rock formation that had been behind him split in two.</p><p>  “He’s fast,” Rockman commented.</p><p>  “So are we,” Enzan replied. “Mini Bomb!”</p><p>  Rockman began to lodge the bombs that appeared in his hands at Blues. The navi couldn’t not block the attack with his sword and cringed away from the blasts instead, the smoke resulting from the attack concealing him.</p><p>  “Watch yourself, Rockman!” Enzan ordered.</p><p>  Rockman stood still, straining to see or hear his opponent. Suddenly Blues appeared meters behind him. The red navi used his sword’s shockwave to create a whirlwind of cutting force. The whirlwind dug into the ground and headed straight for Rockman.</p><p>  “Area Steal!” Enzan called, slotting the chip in. Rockman vanished from the place he was and the whirlwind passed by harmlessly. Rockman reappeared far to the left and Blues turned to face him.</p><p>  “Battle chip, Elec Sword! Slot in!” Enzan called. Rockman watched the sword form on his arm and held it in front of his chest defensively.</p><p>  “Looks like he wants to fight fire with fire,” Netto commented. “Battle chip, Flame Sword! Slot in!”</p><p>  Blues replaced the Aqua Sword on his right arm for the Flame Sword and surged forward. Rockman was waiting for him and brought his own sword to block Blues’ slashing blow.</p><p>  “This is incredible!” Midorikawa cried. “It’s sword against sword, strength against strength! Who will win?”</p><p>  “Interesting…” Higure said, frowning. “They seem to have realized they’re equally matched strategy-wise, and have chosen to pit the navis’ skills against each other.”</p><p>  “Is that a bad thing?” Meiru asked.</p><p>  “Only if one is better than the other,” Higure replied.</p><p>  Enzan watched the sword battle commence, feeling edgy. Something was nagging him at the back of his mind again, and he knew it was important. This battle was so hauntingly familiar; it was like history repeating itself. And there was something wrong with that. But what? For some reason, Enzan couldn’t remember.</p><p>  Blues slashed at Rockman. The smaller navi dodged out of the way, but Blues managed to clip him on the cheek. Rockman swung the sword at Blues’ midsection, but the red navi kicked the Elec Sword away.</p><p>  “This is getting us nowhere,” Netto said. “Blues. Pull back! It’s time for the Program Advance!”</p><p><em>  Program Advance, huh?</em> Enzan smiled grimly. <em>Figures he would know about it. </em>“Rockman! Program Advance!”</p><p>  “Sword!” the four called simultaneously. On opposite sides of the field, both navis formed the weapon.</p><p>  “Wide Sword!”</p><p>  The other sword formed, its design different than the plain sword.</p><p>  “Long Sword!”</p><p>  The swords glowed purple, and the two navis held them above their heads. They merged as one large blade, the light from the twin Program Advances filling the battlefield. It lit up the entire Mega Float and nearly blinded the spectators.</p><p>  “What’s happening?” Yaito cried.</p><p>  “The power of the Program Advance…” Higure breathed. “Amazing.”</p><p><em>  I will win for Enzan-sama</em>, Rockman told himself. <em>I have to win for him. This is what he’s been working so hard for.</em></p><p>  Blues smirked. <em>I won’t disappoint Netto-kun. He’s worked too hard and gone too far to be stopped now.</em></p><p>  The two were fighting with the Beta Sword. Light and wind generated by the power of the Program Advance swirled around them. The swordplay mirrored the fighting earlier, but there was much more at stake. Any mistake now would decide the battle.</p><p><em>  Pharaohman!</em> Enzan’s eyes went wide. <em>I remember now! Pharaohman appeared after the battle. He sank the Mega Float and he… and he…</em></p><p>  “Rockman!” Enzan cried out. He yanked on the plug, but it wouldn’t come out. <em>I have to save Rockman!</em></p><p>  Suddenly the light faded. The stadium grew dark again, revealing Blues and Rockman standing in the middle of the battleground. They stood still for a second, as if frozen on time.</p><p>  And then Rockman fell.</p><p>  “Rockman!” Enzan breathed. A timer appeared above Rockman’s body, counting down from ten.</p><p>  “I don’t believe it…” Higure said softly.</p><p>
  <strong>  8</strong>
</p><p>  “Let’s get down there!” Dekao hissed, scrambling out of his seat. The others tore away from the scene in front of them and followed, but Higure stayed rooted in his seat.</p><p>
  <strong>  4</strong>
</p><p>  Enzan pulled on the plug. It still wouldn’t come out of the jack.</p><p>
  <strong>  1</strong>
</p><p>  “Blues is the winner!” Midorikawa yelled. She was nearly drowned out by the cheering.</p><p>  Enzan finally managed to plug Rockman out, nearly falling backwards. He watched as Netto was tackled by his friends, and Blues receiving the same treatment from the gang’s net navis. Then he turned away.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, I’m so sorry,” Rockman whispered. He hugged his knees and tried to hide the tears on his face. “This is all my fault.”</p><p>  “No, Rockman,” Enzan said. He touched the PET’s screen with one finger. “If anything, I was the one who failed you. You have the potential to do anything, I know you do. It was my failure that caused our loss.”</p><p>  “Don’t say that, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied. “Without you, I couldn’t have done anything.”</p><p><em>  Without me, you would have had a happy life with a kind operator</em>, Enzan thought bitterly. “Let’s go home, Rockman,” he said. He headed for the bus stop, leaving the Mega Float and the loud celebrations taking place. “Haruka must be worried about us.”</p><p><em>  I’ve just proven my father right</em>, Enzan thought bitterly.<em> Without him, I’m nothing. Without Blues, I’m nothing. Without me… this world would be a better place.</em></p><p># # #</p><p>  “Congratulations, Netto!”</p><p>  Netto blushed at his friends’ enthusiasm. Meiru had her arms around his neck, and Dekao and Tohru were taking turns ruffling his hair. Somehow they had come up with a cake that had the words <strong>Netto, Grand Champion</strong> written on it.</p><p>  “Thanks, guys,” Netto said sheepishly. “You really didn’t have to go through all this trouble.”</p><p>  “Are you kidding?” Higure cried. He had been messily eating a piece of cake and it was all over his face. “You deserve it. You won a hard net-battle!”</p><p>  Yaito was sitting next to him, poking at her own piece of cake.</p><p>  “What’s a matter, Yaito?” Tohru asked, his voice teasing. “Is it not rich enough for your tastes?”</p><p>  “I was just thinking about Enzan,” she said softly. “Did anyone see him leave?”</p><p>  “No, and I’m glad,” Dekao said loudly. “I would hate to see that bitter look he wears when he doesn’t get his way.”</p><p>  “Did you see him leave, Yaito-chan?” Netto asked softly.</p><p>  “Yeah,” Yaito replied. “He looked like he was in shock. I think he was really disappointed.”</p><p>  “So? He knew he could lose,” Tohru said, stealing a bite of cake from Yaito’s plate.</p><p>  “But remember what happened before the match?” Meiru replied. “The crowd was really horrible to him just because of his father.”</p><p>  “Maybe we should visit him tomorrow,” Netto suggested. “Just to show we have no hard feelings, and to try and cheer him up. He’s really had a hard time during this tournament. No matter what, he didn’t deserve any of that.”</p><p>  “That’s true,” Dekao reluctantly agreed.</p><p>  “I don’t think—” Higure started to say.</p><p>  “Then it’s decided. We’ll visit him tomorrow,” Netto announced.</p><p>  “He won’t like—” Higure tried again.</p><p>  “Yeah!” the others agreed.</p><p>  Higure sighed. <em>Enzan doesn’t want your pity.</em> He didn’t say it out loud, knowing it would be pointless to try.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. The Real Dr. Hikari</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Enzan watched the lights on the side of the walls flash through the window of the subway. The subway was five minutes away from the Akihara stop, and Enzan had spent the whole trip in silence. Rockman hadn’t dared trying to speak to the white-haired boy. He was worried about Enzan’s silence, but he didn’t want to bother his operator. He didn’t want to make Enzan upset.</p><p><em>  He thinks it’s all his fault, I can tell</em>, Rockman thought. <em>He’s the type of person that would take on the weight of the world on his shoulders because he thinks it’s his job.</em></p><p>  “I’ve been going about this the wrong way,” Enzan said softly.</p><p>  Rockman blinked, surprised at Enzan’s words. “Excuse me, Enzan-sama?”</p><p>  “I’ve been doing this all wrong,” Enzan replied, looking at the PET. “I’ve been trying to relive my life in an effort to change it back to normal, or find something that will. It’s not working.”</p><p>  “So what do you have in mind now?” Rockman asked.</p><p>  Enzan sighed. “I don’t know. We need a new plan, but I’m not sure what. I’ve been relying on the differences between my home and this reality, and I haven’t considered anything else.”</p><p>  Rockman smiled slightly. Enzan still looked disappointed at the loss of the net-battle, but at least he was trying to move on to other things.</p><p>  “I’m sure we can think of something once we get home, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied. “You’ll see.”</p><p>  Enzan gave Rockman an amused look. “So I’m supposed to believe everything you say now?”</p><p>  “It’s only fair,” Rockman pointed out.</p><p>  A voice on the subway sound system announced the upcoming Akihara stop, and Enzan could feel the subway slowing down. He carefully stowed the PET in its carrier. Fortunately, the subway stop was only a few blocks from his home and he didn’t have far to walk.</p><p>  Enzan slipped into the Hikari house. It was dark inside, and he had been forced to use his key get in. That meant Haruka was working late again. Enzan sighed as he made his way up the stairs. He would come up with a new plan in the morning, and once he had one, things were going to get better. His life as Hikari Enzan could only improve from this point on if he became Ijuuin Enzan again.</p><p>  Those thoughts didn’t make him feel any better.</p><p><em>  Why do I feel so awful?</em> Enzan wondered as he entered his room. <em>I already won the N1 Grand Prix, I proved my skills as a net-battler. I don’t need to prove it here. Why does it bother me so much?</em> He placed the PET in its charger and got dressed for bed slowly.</p><p>  “Good night, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said softly.</p><p>  “Good night,” Enzan replied, sliding into bed.</p><p><em>  I know why it bothers me</em>, he thought. <em>I wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t good enough to win with Rockman, even though he had all the potential to win. I proved I couldn’t do it when it mattered the most.</em></p><p>  The only difference in this world—give or take a few missing people—was him. He and Netto had somehow switched roles and places. With his life, Netto had matured and calmed. He had done well as Ijuuin Netto. He might not have accomplished as much as Enzan had, but he was the better person. Enzan had taken his life and his role, and everything went downhill. Sure, it wasn’t his fault that Dr. Hikari lost his job. It wasn’t his fault that Haruka had to work so hard. But didn’t his negative reaction to what had happened contribute to what had occurred? Didn’t his cruel, mean-spirited behavior toward his family, his navi, and others make things worse?</p><p>  Netto thrived in any situation because he was Netto. His personality could be bent and shaped differently, but he was still the same person. Enzan had only survived his life by pure stubbornness. If anything had gone wrong or pushed him in the wrong direction, he would be worse off than Hikari Enzan.</p><p>  Enzan would have dwelled over the situation more, but his eyes refused to stay open. He finally gave up, letting his mind slide into blackness.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “Well, well. If it isn’t Enzan!”</p><p>  Enzan’s eyes flew open and he sat up abruptly. “What—”</p><p>  “Hello, son!”</p><p>  Enzan stared at the man standing in his room. The man’s clothes were crumbled and torn. They had been nice once, but had been treated harshly. His pants were covered with discolored stains and burn marks and his shirt looked like it used to be white, but it wasn’t anymore. The man’s face was covered with a thin beard. His brown hair hung greasy and limp from his head. He grinned at Enzan, his teeth matching the color of his shirt. Dirty glasses covered his eyes; they were hanging crookedly from the man’s ears.</p><p>  “Who are you?” Enzan asked quickly, a bit frightened at the man’s appearance.</p><p>  “Don’t you recognize your own father?” the man replied. He talked with a slur and was obviously tipsy. Enzan could smell alcohol coming from the man, along with many other unpleasant smells.</p><p>  “Papa!” Rockman said sharply from the PET on the desk. “You’re drunk!”</p><p>  “Dr. Hikari?” Enzan breathed.</p><p>  Dr. Hikari Yuuichirou smiled lopsidedly. “Give your father a hug, Enzan.”</p><p>  “I think not!” Enzan hissed, driving across the bed. He rolled to his feet on the floor and backed away from the man. He slowly moved toward the desk, reaching out for Rockman’s PET.</p><p>  “Enzan, don’t be that way,” Dr. Hikari pleaded. He made a clumsy grab for the boy. Enzan quickly yanked the PET from the charger and escaped through the bedroom door.</p><p>  “He won’t hurt you,” Rockman said, sounding ashamed.</p><p>  “I don’t care,” Enzan snapped. He nearly tripped over his pajama bottoms running down the stairs. “I don’t want him coming near me.”</p><p>  “Enzan!” Dr. Hikari called, stumbling down the stairs after him. “Come back!”</p><p>  Enzan turned to corner and nearly plowed into Haruka.</p><p>  “Enzan!” she cried. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>  “I saw—that guy—he isn’t—” Enzan stammered, unsure of what to say.</p><p>  “Honey!” Dr. Hikari hiccupped, staggering off the bottom step. He smiled drunkenly. “So nice to see you again!’</p><p>  Haruka’s expression changed drastically. She shoved Enzan behind her and crossed her arms in front of her. “Enzan, stay behind me,” she said, her voice dead serious. “Let me deal with him.”</p><p>  Enzan held his PET close to him and watched Dr. Hikari warily. Rockman made a whimpering noise, and Enzan glanced down at the PET. Rockman was quivering and he had his hands clamped against the sides of his head. He was crouched in the corner of the PET, nearly hidden from view.</p><p>  “Yuuichirou!” Haruka cried, clenching her fists. “Look at you! You’re a drunken disgrace to this family!”</p><p>  “I wouldn’t say that…” Dr. Hikari said. He looked confused for a moment as his sluggish brain tried to think about Haruka’s words.</p><p>  “You always come home in this state!” Haruka shouted, raising her voice. “Any money you get you waste on alcohol! Have you ever thought about what impression you’re making on your son?”</p><p>  Enzan shrank away from Haruka. She had transformed from a concerned, kind mother to a screaming, furious stranger. Her face was twisted with anger, creating lines and wrinkles that made her look much older than she was. Everything from her posture to the shrill tone of her voice made her into a completely different person. Enzan slowly backed away until he was pressed against the wall.</p><p>  “He was beaten nearly to death by delinquents claiming that you owed them money!” Haruka screamed.</p><p>  Now Enzan knew why Rockman had covered his hearing receptors. He would have done the same, but he couldn’t bring himself to let go of the PET. He was holding it tightly in his hand with both hands; his hands were shaking slightly, but he didn’t notice.</p><p>  “Oh, yes,” Dr. Hikari snorted. He didn’t seem fazed at all by Haruka’s verbal attacks. “And where were you when he was attacked? He probably couldn’t stand being around your nagging, ugly personality and escaped the best he could! If anything, you drove him away so he could be attacked!”</p><p>  “How dare you…” Haruka hissed. “You’re the one who abandoned him to begin with! He was playing with that stupid navi you created when it happened!”</p><p>  Enzan stared wide-eyed at what was happening. He had fought with his father in the past, and his father shouted sometimes, but it was nothing like this. This was an all-out war using insults and screeching tones. It had no purpose or point.</p><p>  “And you!” Dr. Hikari shrilled, imitating Haruka’s tone of voice. “Been out on the town, huh? Have you replaced me yet with some handsome guy? Tell me… have you been leaving Enzan home alone to hang out with your boyfriend?”</p><p>  “I have been working as hard as I can to provide for Enzan!” Haruka snapped. “You’re still my husband, Yuuichirou! I would never do anything like that!”</p><p>  “Like I’d believe what you’d say,” Dr. Hikari replied. He was still drunk, but his voice had a sharper, crueler tone to it, and Enzan had no doubt he knew exactly what he was saying. “Have you slept with your new boyfriend yet?”</p><p>  “Stop it!”</p><p>  The two adults turned to face the young boy behind them. Enzan was glaring at them, his expression a mixture of sadness and anger.</p><p>  “Oh, Enzan, I’m sorry,” Haruka said softly. “We didn’t mean to…”</p><p>  Enzan stormed passed her and stomped up the stairs without responding. He felt physically sick by what he had witnessed, and he couldn’t stand it anymore. He reached his room and slammed the bedroom door behind him. He stood still in the middle of the room for a long moment, his PET in one hand and his other clenched into a fist.</p><p>  “How could they?” he hissed, not trusting himself to raise his voice above a whisper. “How could they do that to each other? How could they say those things?”</p><p>  He got no answer from Rockman and realized he didn’t want one. He put the PET on his desk and dressed quickly, trying to shut out what he had just witnessed. He had just pulled on his vest when a noise stopped him.</p><p>  “Rockman?” he asked softly, walking toward the PET. “Are you crying?”</p><p>  Rockman nodded, sobbing again. Tears were streaming down his face and he was crouched in a small ball.</p><p>  “Don’t cry,” Enzan begged, picking the PET up. “I’m not mad at you.”</p><p>  “T-they always fi-fight like th-that,” Rockman choked, barely able to speak through his sobs. “I hate it! I hate it when they fight!”</p><p>  “Yeah, I bet you do,” Enzan said softly, truly sympathetic to Rockman’s pain. “They shouldn’t fight like that if they love each other.”</p><p>  “It’s my fault!” Rockman howled, looking away from his operator. “If Papa hadn’t spent so much time on me, he would have—he would have—”</p><p>  “Stop that!” Enzan said sharply. His command made Rockman jump, and the navi stared at him fearfully.</p><p>  “Stop blaming yourself,” Enzan said in a softer tone. “You can’t live your life blaming yourself for something you couldn’t have stopped.”</p><p>  “Then why do you blame yourself for your mother’s death?” Rockman asked quietly.</p><p>  Enzan froze. “That’s different,” he protested.</p><p>  “Is it?”</p><p>  Enzan sighed and looked away. “I don’t want to talk about that right now, Rockman.”</p><p>  “You told me—you said that sometimes you can’t stop what happens.” Rockman looked at his hands, his voice shaking, but he continued to speak. “Some things aren’t your fault. But if that’s true, then why does everyone blame me?”</p><p>  “Rockman—” Enzan tried.</p><p>  “The last time Papa came home was almost six months ago,” Rockman said, interrupting Enzan. “He and Hikari-san got into a big fight. They yelled about everything, including me. My operator heard every word. He was there in the room, watching them as they fought.” Rockman stopped and rubbed his eyes as more tears fell. “Enza—my operator finally couldn’t stand it anymore, and he ran upstairs. He started screaming at me, saying it was all my fault. If I hadn’t been created, his family would still be together and happy. He punished me then, but that time… the punishment didn’t hurt as much as his words.”</p><p>  “Rockman…” Enzan trailed off, unable to think of what to say.</p><p>  Rockman looked at Enzan. His eyes were bright and full of tears, some of them spilling down his cheeks as he spoke. “If it’s not my fault, Enzan-sama, then why does everyone say it is? Are they wrong?”</p><p>  Enzan looked out the balcony window. The early morning sun was just peeking over the distant hills and heavy shadows still covered the areas the sunlight couldn’t reach yet.</p><p>  “Yes, they’re wrong,” he said softly. “You couldn’t have stopped Dr. Hikari losing his job anymore that you could have stopped the sun rising. Maybe I was wrong too, for thinking I killed my mother.” He fell silent for a moment. “I’m going to get something to eat, and then we can walk around town for a bit,” he said finally.</p><p>  “That sounds good,” Rockman replied softly.</p><p>  Enzan placed his PET in its carrier without another word. He walked downstairs to see Haruka hard at work at the stove. Dr. Hikari was sitting on the couch quietly, staring down at his hands. Unless a person had been there to witness it, there was no evidence of the intense fight that had taken place moments before.</p><p>  “Enzan, why don’t you sit down?” Haruka asked quietly. “I’ll have something hot for you to eat in a few minutes.”</p><p>  I thought you were making that for me!” Dr. Hikari said loudly.</p><p>  “My job is to provide for my son, not his useless father!” Haruka screamed back.</p><p>  Enzan sat in a chair at the table and placed his hands against his ears. He knew this was the start of another long fight.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “This is where Enzan lives?” Netto asked, leaning back to look at the house.</p><p>  “Yes. Dekao and I live in the same neighborhood,” Meiru replied. “It’s a really nice place to live in.”</p><p>  “It’s nothing compared to my home, of course, but it is pretty nice,” Yaito commented, looking around. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in this neighborhood before.”</p><p>  “After we visit Enzan, we should visit Dekao’s and Meiru’s houses,” Netto said.</p><p>  “Sounds good to me,” Dekao said. He swung an arm around Netto’s neck and pulled the smaller boy into a headlock. “I’ll have to show you all my videogames and beat you at every one!”</p><p>  “Dekao, save it for after we visit Enzan,” Tohru complained. “Besides, you’ll choke Netto to death at that rate.”</p><p>  Dekao released the brown-haired boy and Netto stumbled away, gasping for breath. He rubbed his neck gingerly and glared at Dekao’s back as the group walked up to the front door.</p><p>  “I’ll knock,” Netto offered, shoving passed Dekao and Tohru to reach the front door.</p><p>  “You lazy, drunken fool!”</p><p>  Netto froze, his arm poised to knock on the door.</p><p>  “Oh, I’m a fool, am I?” another voice shouted. “At least I still have my self-respect!”</p><p>  “What is that supposed to mean?”</p><p>  “You know perfectly well what it means!”</p><p>  “This isn’t Enzan’s house, is it?” Yaito whispered. As if to answer her, another voice joined in the conversation.</p><p>  “All you do is scream at each other! Can’t you stop for five minutes straight?”</p><p>  “Enzan…” Netto breathed, backing away from the door.</p><p>  “Don’t you talk to me like that, Enzan! I’m your father, and you had better—”</p><p>  “I’m sick of this!  All of it. I don’t care who you are, but I’ve had enough!”</p><p>  Slamming sounds and noises of things scraping against linoleum could be heard by the group outside the house. Netto heard someone approach the door and he stumbled back onto the lawn, away from the walkway that led up to the house. The others also moved away, and they almost hovered behind Netto.</p><p>  “Wait! Where are you going, son?” a male voice called.</p><p>  The door flew open and Enzan appeared. His attention was focused on the inside of the house, and he didn’t notice the Netto and his friends. “I’m going out!” he yelled. “Is that okay with you?” He slammed the door before getting a response and leaned against it, rubbing his forehead as if it pained him.</p><p>  “Enzan…” Netto said softly.</p><p>  Enzan stiffened and looked at the group. His pupils shrank in horror and he grew pale. Yaito looked at her hands and Dekao and Tohru turned away as well. Meiru covered her mouth and looked at Netto. Netto stared back at Enzan, unable to look away.</p><p>  The sound of a woman sobbing cut the silent air around the net-battlers, and Enzan slowly clenched his fist. He turned away from the gang and drew his fist back as if to slam it into the door. Instead he lightly tapped it as another loud sob was heard; he unable to complete the action.</p><p>  “Enzan, I’m sorry,” Netto whispered.</p><p>  Enzan ran. He took off down the street, not looking back at the house or the people standing in the lawn. Netto and his friends watched him flee sadly.</p><p>  “I never thought about it before,” Yaito said sadly.</p><p>  “Thought about what?” Dekao asked, looking at her.</p><p>  “What his father’s reputation has done to him,” Yaito replied softly. “What kind of family life he must have. It’s sad, but I never thought about why he was such a jerk before.”</p><p>  “Let’s get out of here,” Meiru said softly. Everyone but Netto nodded and started to leave, but the boy stayed for a moment. “Netto?” Meiru called.</p><p>  Netto turned toward her, away from the house and the direction Enzan had gone.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. World Three, Beef, and Ghosts, Oh My!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Enzan walked down the street in silence. The sun had set an hour ago, and the dark streets were lit up by the bright lights of businesses and shops on the sides of the street. He’d been walking for a long time. He had nowhere else to go. The last thing he wanted was to go back to the Hikari house.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, it’s getting late,” Rockman said.</p><p>  Rockman had spoken to him a few times, but each time he tried to strike up a conversation, Enzan cut it short. He didn’t want to talk.</p><p>  “I know,” Enzan said.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, Hikari-san will get worried.”</p><p>  “I know.”</p><p>  Rockman bit his lip. He knew Enzan wanted to be left alone, but it was dangerous for him to roam the streets like this. He also knew Enzan was upset, and he couldn’t bear the thought of the white-haired boy in pain.</p><p>  “Tell me what you’re thinking, please,” Rockman begged.</p><p>  “Did I do this?” Enzan responded.</p><p>  “What?” Rockman asked, confused.</p><p>  Enzan made a sweeping gesture. “Did I cause this? Is my mere presence the only difference between my home and this reality? Am I to blame for all of this?”</p><p>  “No!” Rockman cried, horrified. “Enzan-sama, you told me that sometimes things just happen, and there’s nothing you can do. Your existence as Hikari Enzan in this reality may be the only difference you can see that would affect things, but that can’t be true.”</p><p>  “I refuse to believe that Dr. Hikari in my reality would turn to the drink because things were bad,” Enzan replied.</p><p>  “Maybe not, but there are factors you don’t know and can’t possibly know in this reality that makes him the way he is,” Rockman said. “You’ve only been around for the past twelve years. A lot of things could have influenced him to do what he does now.”</p><p>  Enzan sighed. “I know,” he said wearily. “I just don’t know what to do. I don’t know how I got here, so I don’t know how to get back home. There are so many things I can’t control and don’t know. I’ve lost my only link to my reality—Hino Ken—and I don’t know where else to look. The N1 Grand Prix ended up being a dead end. I’m helpless, Rockman. I hate being helpless.”</p><p>  Rockman was speechless for a moment. That was the most he had heard Enzan say all day.</p><p>  “I know it seems hopeless, but you can’t give up,” Rockman said quietly. “My operator thought he couldn’t do anything, so he gave up. I know you’re different from him, Enzan-sama. With your life experiences, you have to be a different person than he is.”</p><p>  “So even if my presence did change things for the worst in this reality, it’s not my fault,” Enzan said skeptically.</p><p>  Rockman nodded eagerly before he realized Enzan couldn’t see the PET in its carrier. “My operator isn’t you, Enzan-sama. His life changed him into Hikari Enzan, and your life made you Ijuuin Enzan. Those are two different people who barely have anything in common.”</p><p>  “I wouldn’t go that far,” Enzan said. “But you have a good point, I’ll admit.”</p><p>  “You shouldn’t blame yourself so much, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said.</p><p>  Enzan was about to reply when something stopped him short. “What in the world…” He cut himself off and yanked the PET out of its carrier. “Rockman, do you see that man? The one by the bus stop?”</p><p>  Rockman squinted. “Yes, Enzan-sama. Why?”</p><p>  “Look closer.”</p><p>  Rockman’s eyes went wide when he saw what Enzan had seen. “H-He’s flickering!”</p><p>  “Yeah…” Enzan started walking towards the man.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, what are you doing?” Rockman cried. “Are you crazy?”</p><p>  “What’s the matter, scared?” Enzan asked. “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama!” Rockman hissed.</p><p>  Enzan ignored his navi and walked closer to the man. “Hey!” he called.</p><p>  The man did not respond. He stared at the road ahead, glancing at his watch a few times. He looked completely real except for the moments when he would fuzz out of focus and blink in-and-out of sight.</p><p>  Enzan frowned. “Sir! Are you all right?” he tapped the man on the shoulder. Like a TV being shut off, the man disappeared.</p><p>  Rockman emitted a small, frightened noise. “It—it’s a—a ghost!” he cried.</p><p>  Enzan backed away. “That was strange,” he said, his voice shaking.</p><p>  “We should go home,” Rockman suggested quickly. “We should go home right now!”</p><p>  Enzan was about to take Rockman’s advice when he spotted something. Frowning, he bent down to get a closer look. There was a small black device lying on the ground. It looked brand new and very high-tech. The ground flickered around it in a small circle, resembling the behavior of the man earlier. Enzan picked the device up and found the off-switch.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, can we go?” Rockman begged.</p><p>  “I think I’ve just figured it out,” Enzan breathed, standing up. “Rockman, that was no ghost we saw. He wasn’t even real.”</p><p>  “Are you sure?” Rockman asked, confused. “I don’t understand what you mean.”</p><p>  “I’ll explain later,” Enzan said, pocketing the device. “Right now, let’s go home. We have a lot of work to do.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  “So, where is this meeting, anyway?” Count Elec asked, folding his arms.</p><p>  Saloma sighed. “We’re almost there. I know it’s a long way to go, but we have to be extremely careful. Immersion could attack us at any time.”</p><p>  “Aren’t you being a bit paranoid?” Madoi asked, hurrying to keep up with Saloma.</p><p>  “Immersion has managed to kidnap several people, some of who were under guard at the time,” Saloma replied shortly. “We have no doubt they could get us if they wanted.”</p><p>  “Good point,” Mahajarama said.</p><p>  “Here we are,” Saloma said, pausing in front of a door. She plugged Woodman into the jack next to the door for a few minutes, watching the unlock sequence on her PET. “This building may not look like it, but it has some of the most advance and tight security in Japan.”</p><p>  “I guess being a Net Agent has its advantages,” Elec commented.</p><p>  “We are sanctioned by the government.” Saloma unplugged Woodman and pressed a few buttons on the keypad. “Let’s go,” she said as the door opened.</p><p>  The three World Three members followed Saloma into the bright room. It was a sharp contrast from the dark hallway, and Madoi and Elec had to cover their eyes. Mahajarama, undisturbed, silently walked around the two and studied the room.</p><p>  Madoi finally grew used to the light and looked around. “There’s a lot more Net Agents then I thought,” she commented.</p><p>  Elec quickly removed his own hand from his eyes and followed her gaze. Sitting around a large table were several adults. There was even a little boy playing with a toy car at one seat.</p><p>  “Those are the people you got to help us?” cried a voice. “It’s World Three!”</p><p>  “Hikawa-san, please calm down,” Saloma said.</p><p>  Madoi cringed, recognizing Hikawa Seiji, a worker at Akihara’s water plant and someone she had dealt with in the past. She waved her fingers at him, and he turned away in disgust.</p><p>  “They aren’t Net Agents,” Mahajarama said quietly.</p><p>  “Then what are they doing here?” Elec asked.</p><p>  “They’re parents waiting for news of their children.”</p><p>  Madoi and Elec fell silent, seeing the others in the room in a new light. Hikawa’s face was covered with unshaven stubble. He clothes were crumbled and he looked like he hadn’t slept in some time. A woman was wiping at her eyes and staring at her hands while a man sitting next to her was talking with her softly. Another man, whom Elec recognized immediately as Mr. Ayanokouji, the president of Gabcom, looked to be in the same shape as Hikawa. Yet another man was sitting at the table, but he had his head buried in a folder. The boy sitting in the large seat wasn’t playing with the car; he was just pushing it back and forth on the table. His eyes were wide and empty, and he didn’t seem to care about his tear-streaked face.</p><p>  “Saloma, I see you’ve brought our new recruits,” a deep voice said. Commander Beef stepped out of the shadows and made a gesture at the rest of the group. “Everyone else here is here for their protection. They all have family that was taken by Immersion, and they all were likely targets.”</p><p>  “We sympathize with their situation, but we fail to see how we can be of help,” Mahajarama said.</p><p>  Beef made a gesture at some empty seats. “You might as well sit down. It’s a long story.”</p><p>  The members of World Three made their way to their seats. Madoi sat next to the boy, who either didn’t notice the newcomers or didn’t care.</p><p>  “We’re listening, Beef,” Elec said, folding his arms in front of him and sitting back in his seat. “This had better be good.”</p><p>  Beef nodded and indicated for Saloma to sit down as well. “I’ll tell you what we know,” he said. “Immersion is the newest criminal group to arise. Because they’re activities seemed Internet based in the beginning, the case was given to the Net Agents.”</p><p>  Madoi tuned Beef out, bored already by his words. She looked around the room and studied the man hidden behind the binder for a moment. She wondered briefly what his involvement in this was, but there were too many people in this room to focus on just one.</p><p>  Elec noticed she wasn’t playing attention and frowned at her. Mahajarama tapped his arm.</p><p>  “We’ll tell her the details later,” Mahajarama said quietly. Elec nodded and began to listen to Beef.</p><p>  Madoi looked at the boy next to her. “Hey,” she said softly, catching his attention. “What’s your name?”</p><p>  “Oyama Chisao,” the boy said, concentrating on pushing his car back and forth.</p><p>  “Chisao, that’s a nice name. What are you doing here?” Madoi asked.</p><p>  “Immersion took my family,” Chisao said softly. He put the car down in his lap. “They took my parents and my brother while I was in the park. They would have taken me too, but Commander Beef didn’t let them.”</p><p>  Madoi was speechless for a moment. “But why?” she asked, unable to imagine what it would be like to go home and find your family gone.</p><p>  Chisao shrugged. “I don’t know. They took Gutsman, my brother’s navi, too. I tried to save him, but I was too little to do even that.”</p><p>  “Immersion’s plans are coming to their climax,” Beef said darkly. “They finally crushed the Science Labs defensives, but once they did, they left them alone. They didn’t even steal any data.”</p><p>  Mahajarama frowned. “That doesn’t seem like something a net mafia would do.”</p><p>  “No, and they’ve done it to other places all over the world. They are planning something big, and they are getting close to watch they want,” Beef said. “Once they do succeed, it will not be a good thing for the world.”</p><p>  “They’re planning something by using this Net World of theirs?” Elec asked.</p><p>  Beef nodded. “If Immersion isn’t stopped, the Net World will be their weapon. If that happens… everyone integrated into it will die.”</p><p>  The woman shrieked. “What about my Meiru! Why haven’t you found my baby girl yet?”</p><p>  The man sitting next to her tried to calm her down. “Please, Net Agent,” he said softly. “We haven’t seen our daughter in several weeks. If there’s any hope that she’s alive…”</p><p>  “She’s still alive, as far as we know, but she won’t be that way for long,” Beef said grimly. “That’s why we need the help of World Three.”</p><p>  The man holding the binder to his face started laughing. The others at the table, all members of World Three included, looked at him in shock.</p><p>  “Isn’t that just like a Net Agent?” the man said, putting the binder down. “Such an amateurish way of looking at things. I honestly don’t see why the government puts their trust in you.”</p><p>  “So… even the vice president of IPC has been taken,” Mahajarama murmured.</p><p>  Elec and Madoi looked at him, frowning. “What?” Madoi asked.</p><p>  “Ijuuin-san, we’re doing the best we can,” Beef explained patiently. “This is a very delicate matter.”</p><p>  Elec and Madoi exchanged shocked glances. So the president of IPC was also under the protection of the Net Agents.</p><p>  “Ijuuin Enzan,” Elec whispered. “They have Ijuuin Enzan, that’s why.”</p><p>  “Delicate,” Ijuuin repeated, looking amused. “I could hire a task force that would have taken care of this long ago. You have wasted both my time and my money, Beef, and I’ve had enough.” He stood up and walked toward the door.</p><p>  “Ijuuin-san, there’s something you should know,” Beef said quietly. “It’s about your son.”</p><p>  Ijuuin slowed and stopped. He looked back at Beef over his shoulder, suspicion shining in his eyes.</p><p>  “I need to tell it to you in private,” Beef said.</p><p># # #</p><p>  The Program raced through the data stream of NetWorld’s Internet. It had discovered something very, very important, and it needed to inform its masters right away. The Program stopped when it found the outlet it was looking for and began to compose its message.</p><p>  “Emergency, emergency. A Double Program has been deleted. I repeat, a Double Program has been deleted. It is suspected that Hino Ken was involved in the deletion. Emergency, emergency. The deletion of the Double Program was discovered by Hikari Enzan. I repeat, Hikari Enzan knows—”</p><p>  The Program got no farther. It disappeared in a shower of data bits as its body was pierced by a sword. The message, which had been ready and waiting to be sent to Immersion’s top leaders was deleted as well.</p><p>  Blues swore softly, staring at the disappearing data bits. He had seen the message and knew what it had meant. “Curse that Enzan… what has he done?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Enzan’s Theory</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Netto waited on the street corner, debating whether or not to just go home. He had come this far, yet he wasn’t sure he wanted to go any further. Not after what happened yesterday. Not after seeing Enzan in such a vulnerable state.</p><p>  “<em>Oi</em>! Netto!”</p><p>  Netto turned to see Meiru and Dekao running up to him. “Hey, you guys!” he called, waving at them.</p><p>  Meiru slowed to a stop and paused to catch her breath. “What are.. you doing… in  this neighborhood?” she gasped. Dekao nodded his head, unable to speak at all.</p><p>  Netto gave them an odd look. “I got an invitation,” he said shortly. “Why have you guys been running?”</p><p>  “An invitation? From Enzan?” Meiru asked. She held up her PET, revealing an e-mail displayed on the screen. Roll was studying the e-mail thoughtfully, her back turned to Netto.</p><p>  “Yeah, I got one just like that!” Netto exclaimed.</p><p>  “If you want to know the truth behind everything, come to my house at noon,’” Roll recited, reading the e-mail out loud. “Then it just gives directions. It’s not very helpful, is it?”</p><p>  “Not with finding out what he wants, no,” Netto said. “I just can’t figure that guy out.”</p><p>  “No one can.”</p><p>  The three jumped back from the source of the voice in alarm. The woman in black who had spoken looked at them, no emotion in her eyes.</p><p>  “Miyuki-san!” Meiru squeaked. “What are you doing here?”</p><p>  “I was sent the same invitation,” Miyuki replied. “Higure Yamitaro, Midorikawa Midorikawa, and your teacher were sent invitations too.”</p><p>  “Mariko-sensei?” Dekao repeated. “Just what does Enzan have in mind that he would want Mariko-sensei to be there too?”</p><p>  “Maybe he just wants to prove what a jerk he is.”</p><p>  Netto yelped and whirled around. “Yaito-chan! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” he yelled.</p><p>  Yaito smiled at Netto innocently. Beside her, Tohru wore a sheepish look and was rubbing the back of his head.</p><p>  “Are you all going to Hikari Enzan’s house, or are you going to stay here and talk about what a jerk he is?” Miyuki asked, rubbing the crystal ball she held in her hands with her fingertips.</p><p>  “Are you going?” Tohru asked.</p><p>  “It sounds interesting,” Miyuki said flatly. “And business has been slow. From what I understand, everyone else who received an invitation is going.”</p><p>  Netto looked at his PET and noted the time. “We better decide now. I say go.”</p><p>  Yaito and Meiru nodded their agreement.</p><p>  “I guess so,” Tohru said. “I was hoping to receive a letter from Papa today, but I guess it can wait.”</p><p>  “I’ll go,” Dekao said sulkily.</p><p>  “Where’s your father?” Meiru asked.</p><p>  Tohru shrugged. “He’s on a business trip. I’m not sure where he is or when he’ll be back.”</p><p>  “That’s odd, my father is on a business trip too,” Yaito said thoughtfully.</p><p>  “No, it’s not,” Netto argued. “My father has been on a business trip for some time too.”</p><p>  “My parents are on vacation,” Meiru said. “They would have taken me with them, but they left before school started.”</p><p>  “My father left right before school too,” Tohru said, frowning.</p><p>  “We are going to be late,” Miyuki cut in.</p><p>  “That’s right,” Yaito said. “Let’s go!”</p><p>  “What were we standing around talking about anyway?” Dekao asked Netto as they started down the road.</p><p>  Netto shrugged. “I can’t remember. It must not have been important.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  “Does anyone want tea?” Haruka asked brightly, looking around the living room. Higure was sitting on the couch, muttering to himself. Midorikawa was sitting on the same couch and fiddling with her hands. It was obvious by the look on her face that she was wondering what she was doing here. Mariko was sitting next to Midorikawa and wore a similar look. Miyuki was sitting at the far end of the couch, looking into her crystal ball intently.</p><p>  Netto, Tohru, Meiru, Yaito, and Dekao were sitting on the floor around a small table. They all looked around Enzan’s house with interest, for they had never seen the inside of it before. Those looking for torture devices or other signs of evil (Dekao and Yaito in particular) were disappointed.</p><p>  From where Netto was seated he could see into the kitchen. There was a brown-haired man sitting at the table, sipping a cup of coffee and staring at a picture. His eyes were red and there were bags underneath them, but his face was shaven, his clothes were clean, and he looked like an average person.</p><p>  Netto wondered if he was recovering from a cold.</p><p>  “What we would really like is to know what this is about,” Higure replied. “No offense, Hikari-san, but your son is the one who invited us all here. We show up and he’s nowhere in sight.”</p><p>  “Oh, Enzan?” Haruka tilted her head to the side and smiled. “He’s upstairs in his room. I was so surprised at seeing so many people, I completely forgot to tell him you were here.”</p><p>  “I hope we’re not being a bother,” Midorikawa said apologetically.</p><p>  “Of course not!” Haruka said. “Today’s my day off, so I’m happy to have company to entertain.” She made her way up the stairs, leaving the group by themselves.</p><p>  “I hope she makes it fast,” Dekao said. “I want to go back to my game.”</p><p>  “Dekao, don’t be rude,” Yaito admonished. “Enzan may have a really good reason for having us all here.”</p><p>  “But I don’t understand why I’m here,” Mariko said. “I haven’t seen you all in several weeks! And Midorikawa-san—”</p><p>  “Please, just call me Midorikawa,” Midorikawa interrupted.</p><p>  “Midorikawa-san hasn’t met any of you in person,” Mariko finished, correcting herself.</p><p>  “Then why did you come?” Meiru asked, looking at the newswoman with interest.</p><p>  “I couldn’t resist such an interesting e-mail,” Midorikawa replied, laughing a little. “Besides, I was hoping to get some interviews from some of the participants in the N1 Grand Prix. I’m doing a cover story on it and interviews would really help my story.”</p><p>  “Interviews?” Dekao repeated, his eyes lighting up. “You mean, you’d interview all of us?”</p><p>  “This is all very nice,” Higure said, interrupting. “But why are we here?”</p><p>  “You’re here because my son asked you to be here,” the man in the kitchen said. Netto watched him get up from the table and walk into the room.</p><p>  Midorikawa gasped, recognizing him. “Hikari Yuuichirou!”</p><p>  Dr. Hikari glanced at her, but he kept his attention on Higure. “My son is very smart, and he knows what he is doing. If you’re here because he’s invited you, then he has a good reason for doing so.”</p><p>  The group gaped openly at him as one. Meiru couldn’t believe someone so handsome could be the idiot who nearly blew up the Science Labs. The other net-battlers had similar thoughts, although the boys glossed over the handsome part. Dr. Hikari was young and his features were flattering, although time and wear had given him a rough appearance. His expression was serious and his eyes were hard.</p><p>  “I can’t believe it!” Higure exclaimed, breaking the silent awe of those around him. “You’re the ‘great idiot’ who nearly destroyed the Science Labs?”</p><p>  “I’m not sure on the ‘great idiot’ part, but I am Hikari Yuuichirou, if that’s what you mean,” Dr. Hikari said coldly.</p><p>  “Higure, you shouldn’t judge people by their appearance.”</p><p>  Enzan stepped out of the shadowy stairway and returned the stares he was receiving. “After all,” he continued, his voice emotionless. “None of this is real.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Count Elec stared at the man wearing the fish mask for a second. “You’re crazy, Beef,” he said incredulously. “What you’re suggesting is suicide!”</p><p>  “Elec has a point,” Mahajarama said, watching the two men glare at each other from a safe distance. “Breaking into the building and rushing in without knowing what to expect is a rather rash plan.”</p><p>  “We have some idea of what to expect,” Saloma said. “I have a map of the entire building, including the part hidden underground where Immersion keeps their little toy, the Net World and its machines. We have other people working on taking out whatever security they have.”</p><p>  “Our only worry should be breaking into the Net World and stopping it from the inside,” Beef said, picking up on Saloma’s words. “Everything else should be taken care of.”</p><p>  “That is more well-planned then just rushing in,” Mahajarama commented.</p><p>  “But it’s still crazy!” Madoi cried. “We don’t even know what the Net World is for, much less how to break into the system.”</p><p>  “Madoi brings up another good point,” Mahajarama said dryly.</p><p>  “We do know some things about the Net World’s systems,” Saloma said. “It’s based off standard virtual reality programming, only using more powerful and integrative technology to create the high quality world. That’s why they call it the Net World, because it mirrors the real world almost perfectly. Using our net navis, we should be about to have them navigate the NetWorld without trouble.”</p><p>  “Ah, an excellent comeback,” Mahajarama said.</p><p>  “Do you ever do anything except agree with people?” Madoi shouted, pointing at the dark-skinned man.</p><p>  “I do,” Mahajarama said. “However, I like to know what I’m getting into before I get into it, if you know what I mean. If we wait much longer, we won’t have a say in what Immersion does. They will obtain their goals, and we will be at their mercy. In what I have seen and discovered here, I have concluded that we have no choice but to follow Beef’s plan.”</p><p>  Saloma looked impressed. “That’s the most words I’ve heard him say at one time,” she said to Elec.</p><p>  Elec nodded. “He doesn’t do it often. I believe Mahajarama is right on this one, Madoi. In order to defeat Immersion, we’ll have to become Net Agents ourselves.”</p><p>  Madoi shuddered. “All right, all right! I’ll go along with this plan. But I’m no Net Agent, do you hear me?”</p><p>  “We hear you,” Mahajarama and Elec said at the same time.</p><p>  Elec leaned over and whispered into Saloma’s ear. “This is the way we always have to get her to do anything. She’s very stubborn when she wants to be.”</p><p>  “I see,” Saloma said, feeling a little unnerved at Elec’s friendliness.</p><p>  “Are we all prepared?” Beef asked grimly. “This may be a mission of no return, where danger—”</p><p>  “Get on with it!” Elec cried in English.</p><p>  Beef sighed. He hated cutting his speeches short. “Let’s go.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  “What do you mean, none of this is real?” Netto asked suspiciously.</p><p>  “I mean that everything you see around you isn’t real, and the things you hold as true are lies,” Enzan replied, walking closer to the group. “This world isn’t real. It’s created by an advanced virtual reality program.”</p><p>  Silence filled the room for a moment. Dekao looked confused, Netto and Tohru were exchanging looks of disbelief, Meiru was trying to hold back laughter, and Yaito was watching Enzan’s face carefully. The adults also had mixed reactions. Midorikawa had leaned forward and was listening intently, her journalistic instincts kicking in. Miyuki’s face never changed its emotionless expression, while Higure looked torn between shock and amusement. Dr. Hikari looked startled, but he, like Yaito, was also watching Enzan carefully. Haruka, who had followed Enzan down the stairs, emitted a small gasp and covered her mouth, staring in horror at her son.</p><p>  Higure snorted. “You are crazy. You can’t prove that!”</p><p>  “Would I call you all here to announce something like that without proof?” Enzan asked. “If you’re willing to hear me out, I’ll give it to you.”</p><p>  “I think,” Dr. Hikari said firmly, speaking before anyone else could, “That we should hear this evidence of yours, Enzan.”</p><p>  Enzan spared the scientist a glance. Dr. Hikari was now sober, although evidence from his previous drunkenness showed in his red eyes. Those eyes were cold and calculating, and he looked like he hadn’t smiled in years. He was very different from the friendly man that Enzan knew to be Netto’s father.</p><p>  “Let’s start with Hino Ken,” he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. The PET was in its carrier and Rockman was listening intently. Enzan would bring him out only when necessary. “He was, as some of you know, an official of the N1 Grand Prix.”</p><p>  “No, he wasn’t,” Midorikawa said, shaking her head. “I’ve never heard of him.”</p><p>  “He told us he was an official!” Yaito cried.</p><p>  “And he was telling the truth,” Enzan said grimly. He pulled out two pieces of paper from his back pocket and handed them to the closest person, which happened to be Netto. “These papers are printouts of a list of the officials and participants at the N1. Rockman got them from the webpage run by the officials. Notice that Hino Ken’s name is on the earlier dated paper under the officials listing, but is missing from later page. There’s also an added participant, Fireman, who wasn’t there before.”</p><p>  “So how does Fireman figure into all of this?” Dr. Hikari said, catching on quickly.</p><p>  “Fireman is Hino Ken’s net navi,” Enzan replied. “I know this for a fact. During the net-battle Netto and I fought with Fireman, we both noticed that his movements were obviously forced. He wasn’t fighting by his choice; someone was making him do it.”</p><p>  “You also claimed that Hino Ken was Fireman,” Netto replied. “How do you defend that?”</p><p>  “It backs up my theory,” Enzan said smoothly. He had been expecting the challenge. “Unfortunately, only I saw physical evidence that seemed to indicate that Hino Ken was Fireman. If this is a virtual reality program, it would be easy to disguise Hino Ken as his navi and put him into a net-battle. After all, the Internet and everything electronically controlled is just another part of the program.”</p><p>  “Is that your only evidence?” Midorikawa asked. She was fascinated by Enzan’s words, although she didn’t seem to believe them.</p><p>  “There’s more,” Enzan replied. “Something else Rockman and I found was extremely interesting. It seems several people have been missing for some time. Many of them are related to most of you.” He gestured toward the younger group on the floor.</p><p>  “What are you implying?” Meiru asked. “My parents are on vacation, that’s all!”</p><p>  “And my father is on a business trip!” Yaito cried. Tohru and Netto nodded their agreement.</p><p>  “How long have they been on vacation?” Enzan asked.</p><p>“Well, they left before school got out…” Meiru replied.</p><p>  “How long ago was that?” Enzan replied. “Nearly a month. I bet the others have been gone for the same period of time. They all left on the same day, according to what Rockman found, and they haven’t been heard from since.”</p><p>  “That’s not…” Yaito cut herself off, realizing something. “I haven’t heard from my father yet, actually.”</p><p>  “I haven’t heard from my father either,” Tohru said softly. “I’ve been sending him e-mails telling him about the N1 Grand Prix, but he hasn’t replied.”</p><p>  “Come to think of it,” Dekao spoke up suddenly, looking pale. “My brother is visiting relatives, but he’s been gone for a real long time. I haven’t heard from him either…” His voice trailed off.</p><p>  Meiru bit her lip. It was obvious by the look on her face that she hadn’t heard word from her parents as well.</p><p>  “Enzan…” Haruka whispered. “What are you saying? I don’t—I don’t understand.”</p><p>  Enzan took a breath. “This reality is created by an advanced virtual reality program. For some reason, whoever is behind this didn’t feel it was necessary to program in their presence.”</p><p>  “Program in?” Dr. Hikari repeated, frowning. “This is very fascinating, but I fail to understand how you reached this theory to begin with.”</p><p>  Enzan took a breath. “I’m not Hikari Enzan,” he said quietly.</p><p>  Haruka gasped and the rest of the group reacted with similar shock. Even Dr. Hikari’s serious expression melted into surprise.</p><p>  “Hear me out!” Enzan said sharply before anyone else could speak. He pulled out his PET and held it up “Rockman can tell you I have no memory of being Hikari Enzan.”</p><p>  “Yes,” Rockman said, nodding. “Enzan-sama does not remember anything about being Hikari Enzan. He has knowledge and skills my operator previously did not know. I have been with him long enough to become convinced that he is not Hikari Enzan.”</p><p>  “But Enzan…” Haruka said, drifting off. She stepped toward him and reached out to touch him, but her hand fell to her side before she could complete the motion.</p><p>  “If you’re not our son, then who are you?” Dr. Hikari asked quietly.</p><p>  Enzan turned away from Haruka, unable to stand the pain in her eyes. “My name is Ijuuin Enzan,” he said firmly, “And I do not belong here.”</p><p>  The room exploded with noise as everyone tried to speak at once. Yaito and Dekao were shouting insults at Enzan, calling him crazy. Meiru and Tohru were trying to calm the two down. Higure was laughing and Midorikawa was covering her mouth, trying to hide her amusement. Haruka had let out a wail at Enzan’s words and Dr. Hikari was trying to quiet her. Only Netto, who was watching Enzan closely, and Miyuki, who was stroking her crystal ball, were silent.</p><p>  Enzan slipped his hand in his pocket and closed his fingers around the device. <em>Not yet</em>, he thought. <em>I have to wait just a little while longer…</em></p><p>  “Enough!” Dr. Hikari roared. The room slowly became silent. Dr. Hikari gestured toward Enzan. “He isn’t done yet. We should at least let him finish.”</p><p>  “And then haul him off to a mental institution,” Higure said loudly. “Come on, Hikari. It’s obvious what’s going on here.”</p><p>  “Is it?” Enzan asked calmly.</p><p>  Higure snorted. “You’re jealous of Netto. He won the N1 and you lost, so you concocted this story to gain your revenge. Your father seems to back you up, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t help you create this story or the evidence you have.”</p><p>  “I had nothing to do with this,” Dr. Hikari said angrily. “I just want to hear what my son has to say.”</p><p>  Enzan was about to respond when a hand tapped his shoulder. He turned to find himself staring into Haruka’s eyes.</p><p>  “Enzan,” Haruka cried. There were tears in her eyes and she wiped them away. “What’s going on? If you aren’t my son, then where is he?”</p><p>  Enzan looked away. “Ma—Haruka-san, I’m not trying to hurt you intentionally. Hikari Enzan doesn’t really exist. He is just a fabrication of this virtual reality program.”</p><p>  Haruka drew away from him as if he had bit her. Dr. Hikari placed his hands on her shoulders and glared at Enzan. “That was uncalled for. Apologize to your mother, Enzan,” he said.</p><p>  Enzan resisted the urge to snap at Dr. Hikari. “I am only stating the truth,” he said. “Hikari Enzan does not exist.”</p><p>  “And neither does Ijuuin Netto, I suppose,” Netto said, standing up. “So what does that make me, Enzan? I have memories of being Ijuuin Netto. Does that make me a fabrication of this virtual reality program?”</p><p>  Enzan stared back at Netto, his expression unchanged. “You may be. If you do not know any other life than Ijuuin Netto, then you may be a part of the virtual reality program.”</p><p>  “So by that logic, all of us who can’t remember anything but our lives in this ‘reality’ aren’t real?” Netto asked. “Are you saying that you’re the only real person here?”</p><p>  “It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Enzan replied. “An advanced virtual reality program is the only thing that explains how I can remember things that the rest of you don’t.”</p><p>  “And what if we say you’re just crazy?” Higure snapped. “This is ridiculous!”</p><p>  “So you’re saying—you’re saying we’re nothing more than data?” Yaito asked, sounding horrified.</p><p>  “I’m sorry, but this is just too much for me to believe,” Midorikawa mumbled.</p><p>  “If this virtual reality system supports programming similar to navis, then that’s the only thing that makes sense,” Enzan said. “In fact, that has to be the explanation, because otherwise all your thoughts and actions would be preprogrammed.”</p><p>  “Preprogrammed? That’s an even worse thought than being data!” Meiru exclaimed.</p><p>  “Blues,” Netto said, looking down at his PET. “Is what Enzan’s suggesting possible?”</p><p>  Blues frowned. “It’s highly doubtful, even if such technology were available. It’s more likely that Enzan believes something that is true to him, but him alone.”</p><p>  “The chances are 35587943 to 1 against Enzan’s theory,” Numberman put in. “What Blues has said is much more likely.”</p><p>  “I’m not crazy!” Enzan snapped, losing his temper at last.</p><p>  “No one said you were,” Yuuichirou said calmly. “We’re just trying to make some sense of what you’re saying.”</p><p>  “It makes perfect sense,” Enzan said angrily. “What about all the evidence I’ve given so far?”</p><p>  “You have no solid evidence,” Dr. Hikari replied. “All you have are theories and things that could easily be forged.”</p><p>  “But I know he isn’t Hikari Enzan!” Rockman cried.</p><p>  “You’re his navi and you could be in on the whole thing,” Higure pointed out.</p><p>  “I’m not!” Rockman yelled, nearly in tears of frustration.</p><p>  “It’s all right, Rockman,” Enzan said calmly. “He has a point.”</p><p>  “Let me get this straight,” Dr. Hikari said. “You’re not Hikari Enzan. You’re someone else placed in a virtual reality program. Everything around you—including us—could be nothing more than something created by the program.”</p><p>  “That is a possibility,” Enzan admitted. He wasn’t sure where Dr. Hikari was going.</p><p>  “So we’re not real, in other words,” Dr. Hikari replied.</p><p>  “I didn’t say—” Enzan began.</p><p>  Dr. Hikari held up a hand to cut him off. “Now it’s my turn,” he said.</p><p>  Enzan gritted his teeth. Dr. Hikari was treating him like a child. He hated being treated like that. He had spent his whole life proving himself to people who thought he was nothing more than a child.</p><p>  “So, we aren’t real, and Hikari Enzan doesn’t exist and this world isn’t real.” Dr. Hikari pausing, looking around the world. “However, we believe we’re real. We have memories, emotions, and individual thoughts. If we believe we’re real, then what right do you have to tell us we’re not?”</p><p>  “I never said—” Enzan tried again.</p><p>  “So, in essence, you’re superior to us because you’re real and we’re not,” Dr. Hikari interrupted. “Therefore you have the right to tell us the truth and what to do.”</p><p>  “Papa!” Rockman cried. “You’re not listening!”</p><p>  “I am listening, and I’ve heard enough,” Dr. Hikari said sharply. He walked up to Enzan and studied the boy. Enzan took a step back, unnerved.</p><p>  “Tell me, Enzan,” Dr. Hikari said gently. “How long have you believed this?”</p><p><em>  He thinks I’m insane</em>, Enzan thought. <em>He thinks I’ve completely lost my mind, and I might have been like this for a while. He just went and destroyed my entire theory and evidence by saying I think I’m superior to everyone else.</em></p><p>  He closed his fist around the device in his pocket. <em>Think</em>, he told himself. <em>Focus! There has to be something I haven’t thought of yet. There has to be something…</em></p><p>  “Papa, he’s telling the truth,” Rockman said pleadingly. “You have to believe him!”</p><p>  “Why should he?” Netto asked. “Why should he believe you? It’s obvious you’re just trying to please your operator so he won’t punish you. You don’t have to stand by someone who hurts you so much, Rockman.”</p><p>  “Give me the PET,” Dr. Hikari said, holding his hand out. “I know about your punishment of Rockman, and that’s not what I made him for. Just hand him over, and we’ll talk. You can get some help, if you want.”</p><p><em>  Think!</em> Enzan held his ground. <em>There has got to be something! Anything! Wait…</em></p><p>  “Dr. Hikari, what was it you did that cost you your job?” he asked. “I’ve heard so much about that stupid mistake, but no one says what it was.” He looked around the room. “Does anyone know?”</p><p>  “Of course we do!” Higure snapped. “It was nearly a nationwide disaster!”</p><p>  “What was?” Enzan asked sharply.</p><p>  Higure opened his mouth and closed it repeatedly. “I can’t remember,” he confessed.</p><p>  “Midorikawa, you’re a newswoman,” Enzan said, turning toward the woman. “Surely you know what happened.”</p><p>  “I… no,” Midorikawa said, surprised. “I don’t know what it was. That’s funny, I just did a story on it…”</p><p>  “Dr. Hikari, what was it?” Enzan asked. “What did you do?”</p><p>  Dr. Hikari looked surprised. “You’re changing the subject—”</p><p>  “Just answer me!” Enzan snapped.</p><p>“I don’t remember,” Dr. Hikari said quietly. “But that’s beside the point—”</p><p>  “Isn’t that strange?” Enzan asked. “No one can remember what is was you were fired for, but everyone knows you were fired and that it was a near disaster.” He pulled out the device and held it up. “I may be the only real person here, but I can prove it. This device disrupts the virtual reality programming. I can hold it without being disrupted, proving there’s more to me than mere data. You want me to prove this reality isn’t real? All I have to do is hold it up against a wall.”</p><p>  A loud crashing sound filled the room. Everyone in the room turned toward Miyuki, shocked. Her crystal ball lay in shards at her feet, and she was standing up. “I think not,” she said calmly. “Hikari Enzan, I’m placing you under arrest for the murder of Hino Kenichi.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  The office was large and lavishly decorated. It was only to be expected of the president of huge and successful company. The paintings, statues, and other various art pieces had cost him millions altogether. It was all to create an image of wealth and prosperity in order to impress rivals and partners. The décor was picked by the very best in their field and arranged by experts to create the impression of power.</p><p>  It was as cold as it was worthless.</p><p>  Ijuuin stared at his desktop, his head supported by his hands. He tried to focus on the excellent quality of the design and the rarity of the wood, but only one thought kept running through his mind.</p><p>  It was worthless.</p><p>
  <em>  “Ijuuin, your son is in grave peril,” Beef said. “We know for a fact now that he was the first target of Immersion. They killed the bodyguards with him in order to get him.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “I know all this,” he replied impatiently. He was angry at being reminded of the two dead men. They had worked for the company for years, and he had trusted them on several occasions with his son’s life, though Enzan wasn’t aware of the arrangement. The boy didn’t know that the men would often follow him when he was alone. The men had seen Enzan in danger and had done their duty, and for that they sacrificed their lives.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  They had died for nothing. Enzan had been taken. The worst thing Ijuuin had done in his life was informing the families of the bodyguards that they would not come home.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “Ijuuin, they wanted Enzan alive for a reason,” Beef responded. “They’re planning on killing your son. They may have already done so.”</em>
</p><p>  His son was in danger. He may already be dead. That fact alone made everything else worthless.</p><p>  Ijuuin reached into his pocket and pulled out a small key with a shaking hand. His fingers traced the designs and grooves on the desk until he found the drawer he was searching for. He slid the key into the hidden lock and twisted it to the left. Once he heard the clicking noise that indicated it was unlocked, he slowly opened it and pulled out a large book.</p><p>  Ijuuin opened the book to the first page and traced the picture on it with one finger. The small picture of Enzan, just three months old, filled his vision.</p><p>
  <em>  “I don’t believe you, doctor. That boy is not my son!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “The DNA tests prove otherwise and the mother identified you as the father before she died, Ijuuin-san. He is your son.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “So what if he is? That doesn’t make it my business what happens to him. Send him to an orphanage or something.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “There are laws in this country, Ijuuin-san. You are his father, and therefore, it is your responsibility to take care of him. His mother is dead and she had no relatives we could find.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “Fine, I’ll take the boy. What’s his name?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>   “The mother died before she could give him one. She was in ill health before she came to the hospital.”</em>
</p><p>  He remembered staring down at the child, much like he was doing with the picture. Until that point, he hadn’t considered what the boy was going through. His mother was dead when the boy was brought into the world. For a while his health had been in danger, and the doctors feared he would not make it. And now he did not even have a name to call his own.</p><p>
  <em>  “Enzan.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “What was that, Ijuuin-san?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “His name is Enzan. Ijuuin Enzan.”</em>
</p><p>  Ijuuin turned the page. The next pictures were of Enzan at age two and three. It was amazing how much the boy had grown in so little time. The picture of two-year-old Enzan showed him lying on the floor, carefully filling in a coloring book. Ijuuin should have found it strange that a two-year-old would be able to color within the lines, but maybe the fact that Enzan was coloring the sun purple and the grass blue threw him off.</p><p>  The other picture, of a three-year-old Enzan, showed him looking owlishly at the camera. He was wearing glasses, and they made his large eyes look even bigger. Ijuuin smiled at the memory. They had discovered Enzan’s need for glasses when he was around three. The eye doctor wanted Enzan to wear glasses, but Ijuuin had insisted the boy was smart enough to wear contacts. It took the boy two weeks to learn how to put them in, but he had figured it out and preferred the contacts. He even picked out blue contacts to change his eye color and wore the blue contacts ever since.</p><p>  Ijuuin continued the flip through the photo album, smiling occasionally at the pictures. Each page held a different picture of Enzan. Ijuuin stopped smiling as the pictures showed Enzan at an older age. The boy had changed so much from his early childhood. He smiled rarely in the pictures and always looked so serious. Ijuuin sighed. <em>I pushed him so much… how could he possibly smile at the camera when he had nothing</em> <em>to</em> <em>smile about?</em></p><p>  He reached the last picture and stopped. It was a picture of Enzan sitting at his vice president’s desk. He had his head bent forward and seemed to be studying some papers intently. Ijuuin remembered when this picture was taken. He had given Enzan his first major assignment. He had been too confident in his son’s abilities and had given him something that was above him. Enzan had tried his best, but he had failed. Ijuuin closed his eyes and rubbed them, remembering his reaction to Enzan’s failure.</p><p>
  <em>  “Father?” Enzan asked. “What happened?” He was standing in front of Ijuuin’s desk, looking concerned. No one had told him why he had been called to the president’s office.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “Get out of my sight,” Ijuuin growled. “You ruined everything!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  Enzan was taken aback. “I did everything you told me too!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “Because of you we lost the contract!” Ijuuin roared, slamming his fist on his desk. “If they give it to our competitors, we could be ruined!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “I apologize,” Enzan said softly. He had realized arguing with his father in the state the man was in was futile.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “You apologize?” Ijuuin repeated. “That’s meaningless, coming from you. You have ruined everything since the day you were born, Enzan. If it weren’t for you, your mother would have lived! Will you apologize for that too?”</em>
</p><p>  How the boy had turned pale, Ijuuin remembered. His eyes went wide, and the skin of his face became white. He had turned and left without a word—and Ijuuin hadn’t cared. He didn’t even notice the boy was gone, he was so worked up over the contract. And like many things in business, three months later IPC was doing better then ever and Ijuuin had forgotten about the contract. He had forgotten about the conversation. At the time, it no longer mattered.</p><p>  How much damage did he inflict on Enzan with those careless words? The boy had only been eleven at the time. He was only twelve now.</p><p>  Ijuuin turned the last page and studied the picture on it for a while. The woman on the picture smiled back at him. She was wearing a kimono and had an umbrella over her shoulder, but she was smiling for what was supposed to be a serious picture. Ijuuin slammed the book shut, unable to bare the pictures anymore. He slowly let his head sink down to rest against his desk, a tear escaping from his eye.</p><p>  “Enzan…”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Beware of the Boys</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  “I think not,” Miyuki said calmly. “Hikari Enzan, I’m placing you under arrest for the murder of Hino Kenichi.”</p><p>  Silence reigned. The room was frozen solid, all staring at Miyuki.</p><p>  “Murder?” Rockman whispered.</p><p>  Miyuki pulled out a wallet and opened it up. Inside was an ID card identifying her as a police officer.</p><p>  “We suspected Enzan for some time now,” she said calmly. “He was the last person to have contact with Hino Kenichi before the man disappeared. His body was found yesterday hidden in a closet in the Mega Float stadium. I came here to arrest Enzan and in the process heard what sounded like a confession.”</p><p>  “Hino Ken’s dead?” Netto asked softly, staring at Miyuki.</p><p>  “You’re crazy,” Enzan said, shaking his head. “I didn’t kill Hino Ken!”</p><p>  “We have enough evidence indicating you did,” Miyuki said, putting her ID away. “Please come quietly, or I will be forced to subdue you.”</p><p>  Haruka screamed and fainted, the latest developments overcoming her. Dr. Hikari caught her before she hit the ground, kneeling so that he could cradle her limp body. “Haruka!” he cried, staring into her face.</p><p>  Yaito, Tohru, Dekao, and Meiru leaped from their seats and backed away from both Enzan and Miyuki. Kero and Higure also leaped to feet, both of them talking at once. Enzan watched it all happen as if it was in slow motion. His body felt numb and his brain refused to function correctly. He couldn’t think or move.</p><p>  “Please remain calm!” Miyuki ordered.</p><p><em>   No, no, no, no, no!</em> Rockman begged silently. <em>This isn’t happening! It can’t be!</em></p><p>  “Rockman. Access file Copiinav.exe.”</p><p>  “Blues?” Rockman turned, but there was no one behind him. “What Copiinav.exe file?”</p><p>  His eyes grew wide as he said it, and suddenly new information flooded his mind. In a stale, recorded voice, he repeated, “Accessing file Copiinav.exe. File download… complete.”</p><p>  The front door burst open, and uniformed police officers poured through it. The girls shrieked as they were grabbed by the men and pulled away from the table.</p><p>  “Hey!” Dekao cried. Two officers grabbed him by the shoulders. Tohru was also grabbed, and he struggled against the officer with all his strength. Higure and Kero found they were surrounded by policemen from all sides.</p><p>  “It’s for your own protection,” Miyuki stated. “Enzan is extremely dangerous and could use someone as a hostage.”</p><p>  “You can’t just arrest him!” Netto cried. He backed away from the policemen and stood in front of Enzan. “You have no right to come in here without some sort of warrant.”</p><p>  “Ijuuin Netto, you’re defending a dangerous criminal,” Miyuki said sharply.</p><p>  “You can’t take my son without proof!” Dr. Hikari hissed from his position on the ground. He had Haruka in his arms and was unable to move.</p><p><em>  This… this wasn’t supposed to happen!</em> Enzan thought frantically.</p><p>  “Run, Enzan-sama, run!” Rockman shouted. “They’re going to kill you!”</p><p>  “<em>What</em>?” Enzan gasped, staring down at Rockman.</p><p>  “Just do it!” Rockman yelled.</p><p>  Enzan reached over and grabbed Netto’s arm.</p><p>  “Come on!” he shouted, pulling Netto with him.</p><p>  Netto thought about struggling, but he looked Enzan in the eyes and saw nothing but sincerity. With a nod, he followed Enzan as they headed for the stairs. Two policemen blocked their way.</p><p>  “I’ve had enough!” Dekao snapped, breaking free of the officers’ hold. He kicked the table over toward the stairway, knocking the two policemen who were blocking it over. “Get out of here, you two!”</p><p>  “Thanks, Dekao!” Netto called as he disappeared up the stairs.</p><p>  “Stop them!” Miyuki snapped.</p><p>  Dr. Hikari stood and blocked the stairway. “Hold on!” he snapped. “I demand an explanation for all of this.”</p><p>  “Arrest him,” Miyuki said emotionlessly. “Arrest them all. They’ve aided and abided a criminal.”</p><p>  “You can’t do this!” Yaito screamed. She was being held above the ground in a policeman’s arms. “It isn’t legal! Glyde, tell them! Tell them now!”</p><p>  Glyde did not answer her. Yaito grasped her PET and stared at the screen. “Glyde?”</p><p>  Nothing but static greeted her.</p><p>  “That’s right!” Higure snapped, pulling out his own PET. “Numberman, tell—Numberman?”</p><p>  Static covered Higure’s PET screen too. Kero looked at her PET and gasped, seeing the same thing.</p><p>  “Toadman!” she cried.</p><p>  “Roll-chan!” Meiru gasped, pulling her arm out of the policeman’s grasp to check her PET.</p><p>  “Iceman!” Tohru gasped, checking his PET.</p><p>  Static covered the screens of all. The navis were nowhere to be found.</p><p># # #</p><p>  Netto slammed the door shut behind him. “Now what?” he gasped.</p><p>  Enzan shoved the desk over so it blocked the door, allowing Netto to move. “That won’t keep them for long,” Enzan grunted, standing up. He pulled the disrupter device out of his pocket and handed it to Netto. “Hold this.”</p><p>  Netto took it and looked at it doubtfully. “This is that thing that proves this is all a virtual reality program?” he asked.</p><p>  Enzan eyed him out of the corner of his eye. <em>So Netto can hold it. That means he’s the real Netto, Hikari Netto, and if that’s true, then the others must be too. But why is it I’m the only one who remembers my real past?</em> He gestured toward the bed. “Press it against the blankets and see what happens.”</p><p>  Netto hesitantly did what he was told and gasped with the area around the bed began to blur and flicker like static. “You were telling the truth,” he whispered softly.</p><p>  “I wasn’t supposed to know the truth,” Enzan said grimly. “That’s why Miyuki accused me of murdering Hino Ken. They’re trying to shut me up, just like Hino Ken told me they would.”</p><p>  “Hino Ken knew too?” Netto asked.</p><p>  Enzan nodded. He searched the room, looking under the desk and through drawers. “He talked to me before he disappeared. I didn’t get the whole story from him, but I gathered whoever is behind this is up to no good. That’s why they got rid of Hino Ken; because he was trying to help us.”</p><p>  “Do you really think he’s dead?” Netto asked.</p><p>  “I hope not,” Enzan replied softly. He dug under the bed and pulled out something long and metallic. “Got it!”</p><p>  He frowned at the object. “A lead pipe? What is a twelve-year-old doing with a lead pipe under his bed?”</p><p>  “It was there because you were looking for it, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said quietly.</p><p>  Enzan stared at the navi for a moment. Rockman’s eyes held a sadness Enzan couldn’t figure out, and the navi met his gaze steadily. <em>He knows something</em>, Enzan realized.</p><p>  “We need to get out of here, Enzan-sama,” Rockman said. “Blocking the door won’t hold them for long.”</p><p>  “Enzan, what’s the lead pipe for?” Netto asked. Someone pounded loudly on the door, and he jumped away from it, startled.</p><p>  “Emergencies,” Enzan replied, tucking through a belt loop like it was a sword. If it wasn’t life-or-death, he’d pause to wonder just how silly that might look.</p><p>  “We’re going to have to go through the balcony.” He slid the balcony window open and looked out. There was a tree in the yard, its branches within reach.</p><p>“Are you sure?” Netto said doubtfully, glancing down at his PET. “Blues—He’s gone! Blues is gone!”</p><p>  Enzan hardly spared Netto a glance. “We’re figure it out later. Come on!” He grabbed Netto’s arm and yanked him out the balcony window.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “Everyone accounted for?” Commander Beef called.</p><p>  “Here,” Madoi replied, peeking around a computer terminal.</p><p>  “I’m here,” Saloma said, climbing on top of another one.</p><p>  “Present,” Mahajarama said shortly as he helped Saloma climb.</p><p>  Count Elec looked around at the large machinery around him. He didn’t like the way the machines were humming. It was a loud, angry sound that resembled the rumbling of many beasts. “You could get lost in a place like this for days,” he commented.</p><p>  Beef made an irritated noise. “I’ll take that last sentence for a yes,” he said. “Found anything yet?” The map they had did include the hidden section of the building, which contained the central control center of the Net World, but it didn’t show the entrance to that section.</p><p>  Madoi unplugged from the terminal and shook her head. “There’s no link to the Net World from this place,” she said. “We’ll have to keep looking.”</p><p>  “I see another door!” Saloma called, jumping down from the huge piece of machinery. “It’s to the left. You can’t see it from the floor because it’s painted to look like part of the machinery.”</p><p>  “That’s probably what we’re looking for,” Beef said. “Let’s go!” He took off in that direction, Saloma and the members of World Three following.</p><p>  “Why are we doing this?” Madoi wondered out loud.</p><p>  “Because Hino Ken is one of us, and he could be in danger,” Mahajarama replied. “Because if Immersion succeeds, we’ll be unheard of as a net mafia. Isn’t that good enough?”</p><p>  “Yes,” Madoi said meekly. “Just needed to be reminded.”</p><p>  “I’m being followed by escapees from the circus,” Saloma mumbled.</p><p>  Beef paused at the door and pressed his hands against it. “It’s locked,” he grunted.</p><p>  “If Hino Ken was here, he could kick the door open,” Madoi said wistfully.</p><p>  “Allow me,” Mahajarama said. He pushed the others aside and pressed his hands against the door lightly. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the door creaked open like it had never been locked.</p><p>  “Good job!”  Elec cheered in English.</p><p>  “How did you do that?” Madoi demanded.</p><p>  “You should study yoga sometime,” Mahajarama replied, pressing the palms of his hands together.</p><p>  “Circus <em>clowns</em>,” Saloma muttered loudly. Mahajarama ignored her.</p><p>  “Let’s go,” Beef said, sweeping passed the group and entering the darkened hallway beyond the door. The others followed.</p><p>  “Where is everyone?” Elec whispered.</p><p>  “The Net World only needs those machines to run it. That and a few computer experts to make sure everything is working,” Saloma replied. “There were workers to insure the machines kept working, but the police made sure they didn’t arrive at their jobs.”</p><p>  “I didn’t know you could use the local police to assist Net Agent business,” Madoi said quietly.</p><p>  “This is also a kidnapping case, and with that we were able to recruit the police for some of the operation,” Beef said, studying the hallway. It was long and narrow, but there were no doors on either side in sight. The walls were painted black and it was dimly lighted, making it harder to see any doors or openings. “Thanks to that ridiculous law passed several years ago, our resources are severely limited. That’s why Internet gangs and mafias can get away with what they do without being caught.”</p><p>  “You mean the law involving personal privacy and regulating government authority on the Internet?” Mahajarama asked. “I remember it caused quite a stir when it was passed.”</p><p>  “Yes, that one,” Saloma said, answering for Beef. “It’s why you guys are allowed to run your curry house and not be arrested for what you’ve done. Because your crimes were Internet related, we can only bring charges against you if we’ve caught you on the Internet.”</p><p>  Elec looked sheepish. “You had to bring that up,” he mumbled.</p><p>  “Quiet!” Beef hissed. “Just because this place looks empty doesn’t mean it is.”</p><p>  Mahajarama stopped, causing Madoi and Elec to plough into him. “There’s a door,” he said, ignoring his comrades’ complaints. He slowly turned sideways and pointed. “There.”</p><p>  “That’s just a wall,” Madoi said, leaning against the spot. She let out a small shriek as the wall gave way behind her and she fell in, disappearing in the dark.</p><p>  Beef pulled out a flashlight and shined it into the room. The flashlight revealed Madoi, who was rubbing her back and muttering to herself.</p><p>  Elec and Mahajarama stepped into the room, followed closely by Beef. Elec helped Madoi up as Beef waved the flashlight around. Wires covered the floor and the shelves in the room, creating a tangled mess.</p><p>  Suddenly the room flooded with light, and everyone except Mahajarama jumped and cried out in alarm. Saloma smirked at them from the doorway, pointing to a knob on the wall. “It’s called a light switch,” she said.</p><p>  Madoi turned away from Saloma and started muttering very unkind comments about the flower seller underneath her breath. She stopped suddenly and stared at something on the shelves. “Hey… do you guys see what I see?”</p><p>  Mahajarama leaned closer to the shelf and shoved some of the wires away. “They’re PETs,” he said, sounding surprised.</p><p>  Saloma blinked, unsure if she had heard actual emotion in Mahajarama’s voice or if she had just imagined it.</p><p>  Beef hurried over to a shelf and studied the PETs carefully. There were several black boxlike devices resting underneath the shelves. “They’ve all been scanned,” he said. “Their data has been scanned by these devices.”</p><p>  “Is the original data intact?” Elec asked.</p><p>  “There’s only one way to find out,” Beef said. He started unplugging all the wires from the PET and gestured for the others to do the same. “This PET has been inactive for some time,” he noted. “There’s dust on the screen.”</p><p>  He brushed the screen off and held the PET up. “Here goes nothing,” Beef said, pressing a switch to activate the PET.</p><p>  The screen glowed blue and the letters P E T appeared on it. They quickly faded to reveal several windows zipping back and forth on the screen. A swirl of data appeared in the corner. It slowly began to come into focus, revealing a navi.</p><p>  “Commander Beef!” Rockman.EXE cried, staring at the man holding the PET. “Where’s Netto-kun?”</p><p>  “I don’t know,” Beef said grimly. “I was hoping you would tell me.”</p><p>  “I don’t know either!” Rockman said frantically. “The last I can remember was hearing him cry out, and then—and then I don’t remember anything!”</p><p>  “Your operator has been kidnapped,” Beef said. “We’re on a rescue mission to find him.” He gestured to the others. “Activate all of the PETs! They could help us in our search.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  “This is getting out of hand,” the woman in black declared. “Activate the Final Scenario!”</p><p>  “But we haven’t—” one of the engineers protested.</p><p>  The woman in black pulled out a gun and pointed it at the man. “Do you have a problem with my request?” she asked coldly.</p><p>  The man stammered and shook his head no, turning back to his computer.</p><p>  The woman smiled coldly and left the room, heading for her office. “Looks like Hino Ken did more damage than we thought,” she said grimly.</p><p>  The screen of her computer lit up. <strong>We underestimated him. Now there’s no way the Final Scenario can play out as we planned.</strong></p><p>  “It doesn’t matter,” the woman said, shaking her head. “As long as Enzan dies we will get what we want.”</p><p>
  <strong>  Should I still manipulate Netto to kill him? That may be impossible now.</strong>
</p><p>  “No, we’ll have to come up with something else. All that matters is that he dies.”</p><p>
  <strong>  Understood. I’ll make the arrangements immediately.</strong>
</p><p>  The woman smiled. Finally, things were coming together. After this, nothing would be the same ever again.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Goodbye</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Roll opened her eyes slowly. She slowly sat up and looked around. “Where am I?”</p><p>  The area was covered with mist. That seemed odd, because the last memory Roll had was being inside her PET. The mist around her was thick and looked oddly realistic.</p><p>  “Guts,” someone else moaned.</p><p>  Roll looked to her left to see another navi lying on the ground. “Gutsman!” she cried, scrambling to her feet. She helped the big navi up carefully. “Are you okay?” she asked. “What happened?”</p><p>  “What <em>did</em> happen?” another voice replied. Roll turned to see Glyde stumble out of the mist. He had one hand on Iceman, who was walking around in a daze. “It feels like someone hit me in the back of my head,” Glyde said, rubbing it gingerly.</p><p>  “How did we get here, guts?” Gutsman asked.</p><p>  “The better question is, how do we get out?”</p><p>  The group of navis turned to see another figure standing behind them. He had his arms crossed and was facing away from them.</p><p>  “Blues!” Roll cried, relieved to see the red navi.</p><p>  “What do you mean, how do we get out?” Glyde asked. “We don’t even know how we got here!”</p><p>  “I wasn’t referring to this place,” Blues said quietly. “I know how we got here; I brought you here.”</p><p>  “What?” Roll gasped. “We have to get out! I have to help Meiru-chan!”</p><p>  “Yaito-sama!” Glyde cried out, remembering. “Oh no! I’ve got to help her.”</p><p>  “You can’t help them now,” Blues replied.</p><p>  “Why?” Roll demanded. “Why would you do this, Blues? We have to help our operators!”</p><p>  Blues sighed heavily. “You can’t help them,” he said softly. “Access file Copiinav.exe.” He merely whispered the last sentence, but it had its intended effect. All of the navis froze, the command running through their programming.</p><p>  “Accessing file Copiinav.exe,” they chanted as one. “File download… complete.”</p><p>  “No…” Roll whispered softly, tears filling her eyes. “It’s not true. It’s not true!”</p><p>  “Guts,” Gutsman moaned. The other navis just looked shock. They were too numb to speak.</p><p>  “It’s true,” Blues said, turning toward them at last. “Everything Enzan said was true. This is a virtual world.”</p><p>  “But—but—” Iceman stammered.</p><p>  “Everything here is a lie,” Blues spat. “We’re not even the real navis, just copies of them. Copy navis!”</p><p>  “But Blues—” Roll tried.</p><p>  “Copy Blues!” Blues snapped. He pointed at his face. “I’m Copy Blues, not the real Blues. You’re Copy Roll. We’re all just copies programmed to fool our operators into thinking they were where they belonged.”</p><p>  “You knew the whole time,” Glyde said softly, placing his hand on Roll’s shoulder. “We thought we were the real navis serving our operators, but you knew the truth.”</p><p>  “Yes, I knew the truth,” Blues said bitterly. “I knew none of this was real, and that I wasn’t really Netto-ku—Netto’s navi. I fooled myself into thinking it could last, so I followed Immersion’s instructions to the letter. I was a fool!”</p><p>  “Blues…” Roll said.</p><p>  “Copy Blues!” the navi roared.</p><p>  “Blues!” Roll snapped. “What’s going on? Why did you bring us here?”</p><p>  “This reality is breaking apart,” Blues said dully. “Immersion broke their promise. They’re going to destroy this reality and everyone in it to get what they want.”</p><p>  “Why?” Iceman asked. “Why would they do this? Why would they hurt our operators?”</p><p>  “I don’t know,” Blues said. “All I knew was that I could only be Netto’s navi if he was this reality, so I ignored the truth and believed my false memories. I wanted to stay here with him so badly…”</p><p>  “We’re copy navis,” Glyde said softly. “We were copied from the original navis themselves. That means we have their emotions and feelings toward our operators. If there’s anything we can do to save them, we have to try!”</p><p>  “We can’t just stay here and let them be taken from us, guts!” Gutsman added.</p><p>  Roll walked over to Blues and knelt so she was looking him in the face. “You care about Netto very much,” she said softly. “That’s why you wanted to be with him. I understand that, Blues. We all do because we all feel the same way. Right now we have to do all we can to save them, even if it means our world will be destroyed.”</p><p>  Blues touched her face with one hand. “But what will happen to us afterward?” he asked.</p><p>  Roll smiled. “We’ll find a way to live. Could you stand by and watch Netto be hurt without doing something about it?”</p><p>  “No,” Blues replied. He smiled at Roll. “I couldn’t.”</p><p>  “We have to get them out of here somehow,” Glyde said, looking thoughtful.</p><p>  “Leave that to me,” Blues said, standing up. “I may have trusted Immersion, but that didn’t stop me from memorizing their codes. As long as we can get them to a certain area, I can get them out manually.”</p><p>  “What are we watching for, then?” Iceman cried. “Let’s do it!”</p><p># # #</p><p>  “The Final Scenario is underway,” someone announced. “Within thirty minutes, it should have taken place.”</p><p>  “How will we know when it happens?” someone else wondered.</p><p>  “You will know,” the woman in black said. Excitement gleamed in her eyes, and she smiled faintly. “The whole world will know of our success today.”</p><p>  The door to the room flew open as Commander Beef and the others burst through.</p><p>  “Stop right there!” Beef ordered, pointing at the woman. “We’ve caught you in the act, and you’re all under arrest!”</p><p>  The woman in black started to laugh. “You have got to be kidding me! Two Net Agents and the pitiful remains of World Three are going to stop us?”</p><p>  “We got this far, didn’t we?” Madoi shot back.</p><p>  Count Elec ran over to the three men at the terminals and pointed. “Shut these down right now!” he demanded. The men exchanged scared looks, but they didn’t move.</p><p>  The woman in black continued to laugh, ignoring the group.</p><p>  “What is so funny?” Mahajarama asked.</p><p>  “You pathetic fools,” the woman hissed, glaring at them. “Don’t you realize it’s hopeless? Shutting down these computers won’t stop the Final Scenario!”</p><p>  “What scenario?” Saloma asked.</p><p>  The woman smiled. “You don’t even know the truth behind our actions? What fools!”</p><p>  “You might as well tell us,” Mahajarama pointed out. “We can’t stop it now, according to you.”</p><p>  “Do I look like an anime villain?” the woman said, pointing at her face. “I’m not going to explain my whole plot so one of you can sneak up on me while I’m distracted.”</p><p>  “Forget about her!” Madoi snapped. She pulled out her PET and unwound the plug. “Let’s plug in and—” She froze as she heard the click of a gun cocking.</p><p>  The woman smiled coldly as she aimed her gun at Madoi’s face. “Now, that isn’t very smart,” she said softly. “Why would you risk your life for your enemies and people you’ve never met? Just go home and dream your silly dreams about World Three while you still can.”</p><p>  “Won’t you just give us a hint about what’s going on?” Saloma said hopefully. She froze as the woman aimed the gun at her.</p><p>  “I shouldn’t even bother with this gun,” the woman said in disgust. “It wouldn’t matter even if you tried to break into the Net World. Soon Ijuuin Enzan will be dead, and the Final Scenario will send off a power surge that will destroy the Internet!”</p><p>  “They always state their plans,” Mahajarama said, satisfied.</p><p>  “But I don’t understand,” Elec whispered. “Why Ijuuin Enzan?”</p><p>  The sound of a gunshot rang out, and both Saloma and Madoi flinched and screamed. Their screams were drowned out by the pain-filled howl of the woman in black, who dropped her gun and clutched her bloody hand.</p><p>  Doors on either side of the room burst open, and uniformed police officers poured through. They passed the World Three members and disoriented Net Agents, and aimed their guns at the small group of men and the woman.</p><p>  “The reason it’s Enzan is very simple,” a voice said, stepping into the room.</p><p>  “Ijuuin!” the group of Net Agents (and temporary Net Agents) cried as one.</p><p>  “They needed one person to die to initiate their plan,” Ijuuin said, lowering the smoking gun in his hand. “She chose Ijuuin Enzan because she harbors a grudge against him. Isn’t that right, Watanabe Yuuhi?”</p><p>  The woman hissed at him, her eyes blazing.</p><p>  “She was one of my board members,” Ijuuin explained. “Apparently, a group of them were jealous when I named Enzan my vice president. They started this company as a front to get back at me, but it became something more. They began to become radical, hating the Internet and everything it caused. They’ve spent the last year working feverously on the Net World.”</p><p>  “So what do they mean by destroying the Internet?” Saloma asked.</p><p>  “Those attacks on the Science Labs…” Beef muttered. “They weren’t meant to steal data and disrupt the work done there. They were purely intended to destroy the defenses—”</p><p>  “—So they could implant links to their Net World,” Mahajarama cut in, catching on. “They did this all over the world to the major government facilities. They also implanted links in other companies as well, using sneakier means and bribery so no one would make the connection. Those links remained dormant—”</p><p>  “Until the day the Net World activates them,” Ijuuin finished. “That’s what it’s for. It uses the intimate access it has over the subjects’ minds to implant false memories and suppress the real ones. Then it uses those memories to manipulate the subject’s personality and actions to create scenarios, as Immersion refers to them. The Net World acts like a parasite, feeding off the emotions of the subjects the scenarios cause. It’s amazing how willing her companions were to confess when faced with jail time.”</p><p>  “We only needed one subject to feed from,” Watanabe hissed. “The rest were just to make sure we had others if needed. They also helped manipulate the scenarios, creating even more energy for us to use.”</p><p>  “So she speaks at last,” Mahajarama said.</p><p>  “Can we arrest them now?” one of the policemen asked.</p><p>  “Not yet,” Beef said. “She still has to shut off the final scenario and tell us where they keep their victims.”</p><p>  Watanabe began to laugh again. “You fools, don’t you see?” she said. “It’s no use. Once the scenario has been initiated, there’s no stopping it. If you try to destroy the machines, you’ll kill the people integrated in the Net World.”</p><p>  “Then it looks like we have no choice,” Beef said. He tossed something to Ijuuin, who caught it in surprise. “We’re going to need your help,” Beef explained.</p><p>  Ijuuin looked down at the object in his hands and nodded. “I see.”</p><p>  The policemen hauled the men away from the computer and handcuffed them. Watanabe was also handcuffed and dragged away kicking and screaming. The group of Net Agents, World Three members, and a company president approached the computers.</p><p>  “Let’s do it!” Madoi declared. “Plug in, Colorman.EXE! Transmission!” She pulled out another PET and exchanged odd glances with the navi inside. “Plug in, Roll.EXE!” she said, repeated the process. “Transmission!”</p><p>  “Plug in, Magicman.EXE!” Mahajarama called, holding two PETs in one hand. “Plug in, Gutsman.EXE! Transmission!”</p><p>  “Plug in, Elecman.EXE!” Elec yelled, holding one PET in each hand. “Plug in, Iceman.EXE! Transmission!”</p><p>  “Plug in, Woodman.EXE!” Saloma called out, holding her PETs the same way as Elec. “Plug in, Glyde.EXE! Transmission!”</p><p>  “Plug in, Sharkman.EXE!” Beef said. He was holding the PETs in one hand and plugging them in with the other. “Plug in, Rockman.EXE! Transmission!”</p><p>  “Here goes,” Ijuuin muttered, pulling the plug out of the PET in his hand. “Plug in, Blues.EXE! Transmission!”</p><p>  The group watched as the navis were transported from the PETs into the computer system.</p><p>  “Oh, and by the way,” Ijuuin said conversationally. “We discovered something very interesting on our way into this facility.”</p><p>  “You wouldn’t be forgetting about us, would you?”</p><p>  The group turned around and gaped at the two people standing in the doorway.</p><p>  “Hino Ken!” Madoi and Elec cried.</p><p>  “Miyuki!” Saloma yelled with joy.</p><p>  The red-haired man grinned. He was wearing a black body suit; it had various plugs and niches to connect wires and needles. Miyuki wore a similar outfit beside him.</p><p>  “We found them in a backroom pounding on the door,” Ijuuin explained.</p><p>  “Yeah, and we’ve been there for some time,” Hino Ken said dryly. “You won’t believe how boring it was.”</p><p>  “Talk later, work now,” Beef said impatiently.</p><p>  Miyuki nodded to the terminals. “You won’t be able to directly communicate with your navis while they in the Net World. The only form of communication I found to work was a primitive form of emailing, through pure electronic pulse rather than navi-delivered.”</p><p>  “We don’t have a choice now,” Beef said grimly. “Hino Ken, Miyuki, your advice as well as navis are desperately needed here.”</p><p>  “Right,” Hino Ken and Miyuki said, walking up to a terminal.</p><p>  “Plug in, Fireman.EXE! Transmission!” Hino Ken called.</p><p>  “Plug in, Skullman.EXE. Transmission!” Miyuki said.</p><p>  The two net navis joined the others, and as a group they all tried to crack the Net World’s codes.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “Put me down!” Yaito hollered. “You have no right to do this!” She was being held in an officer’s arms, her feet kicking the empty air.</p><p>  Everyone was struggling with the policemen. Yuuichirou was trying to defend his unconscious wife from the officers. Midorikawa was screaming some threats as two of them tried to pin her arms, and Higure was fending off a few with a chair. Meiru was struggling against an officer’s hold on her hair. Tohru and Dekao were spouting insults and curses as they struggled.</p><p>  “Let go of me!” Yaito screamed. Suddenly the man holding her shattered into several pieces, like a sheet of glass dropped on pavement. Yaito fell to the ground and landed painfully on her bottom.</p><p>  “Are you all right?”</p><p>  Yaito looked up into the face of her rescuer, speechless. The gray-faced navi stared back at her curiously, a sword on his arm. Yaito screamed.</p><p>  Yuuichirou gasped as the two policemen holding his arms behind his back disappeared. He turned to see a large navi patterned after a Western wizard in design standing in the shadows.</p><p>  “Elecman, you have wonderful people skills,” commented the wizard.</p><p>  “I didn’t expect her to scream!” Elecman cried, swinging the Elec Sword around. It caught two more officers, who exploded in the same way as before.</p><p>  “What… is this?” Midorikawa cried. She wasn’t sure whether to be happy or to be sick.</p><p>  “They’re computer data,” Yuuichirou said, recognizing the pixilated spray immediately. “They’re just computer data!”</p><p>  The policemen froze in their positions and released those in their hold. Elecman grabbed Yaito and hauled her to her feet. The police officers began to morph and change. Meiru and Midorikawa screamed as they became faceless and robot-like in appearance. Their body and limbs became silvery and sleek, and two glowing red eyes were the only features on their faces.</p><p>  Elecman swung his sword, deleting more of the programs. “They’re everywhere!” he announced. “Magicman, I think we’re going to need help.”</p><p>  “I think you’re right,” Magicman agreed, summoning some viruses to attack the fake policemen.</p><p>  The walls of the house began to blur and fade and more of the robot-like beings appeared.</p><p>  “What’s going on?” Higure cried.</p><p>  “They’re defense programs!” Yuuichirou shouted back. “They’re responding to a threat.”</p><p>  “What’s the threat?” Meiru cried, ducking away from two programs reaching for her.</p><p>  “Us,” Yuuichirou said grimly. He knelt by Haruka’s body and picked her up, cradling her carefully in his arms.</p><p>  Higure shot him an odd look. “How do you know so much about this?”</p><p>  Elecman leaped forward and cut the defense programs reaching for Meiru in two. “Fight now, explain later!” he snapped.</p><p>  Several defense programs surrounding Tohru, who was pinned to the floor, suddenly froze as they were surrounding by ice. As Tohru watched, puzzled, the defense programs disappeared in a flurry of data.</p><p>  “What the—” Elecman started to say.</p><p>  The defense programs holding Dekao disappeared, and Dekao felt two large hands grab his shoulders, steadying him.</p><p>  “Heart Flash!”</p><p>  More defense programs disappeared. Meiru opened her eyes and moved her arm so she could see. She gasped when she saw her rescuer.</p><p>  Something grabbed onto Yaito’s braids and pulled her back. She screamed in pain and fear. Suddenly her hair was released and the girl was picked up by gentle hands. She looked up at the person who was holding her.</p><p>  “Glyde!” she cried.</p><p>  Magicman looked around. Iceman was helping Tohru to his feet, and Gutsman was hovering over Dekao. Roll was close to Meiru, watching for more defense programs.</p><p>  “We’re surrounded,” Magicman said grimly.</p><p>  Elecman cursed and pointed his sword at Glyde. “Put her down!” he commanded.</p><p>  “They saved us!” Yaito protested, wrapping her arms around Glyde’s neck. “They’re our navis!”</p><p>  “Don’t be foolish!” Elecman snapped. “The real Glyde is fending off more defense programs with Woodman, Sharkman, and Iceman. The <em>real</em> Iceman,” he added, glancing at the small navi. “These guys are nothing more than copies of them! They work for Immersion, the group behind all of this.”</p><p>  “Why should we believe you?” Yaito snapped, sticking her tongue out at Elecman. “We don’t even know who you are.”</p><p>  “Yaito-sama, he’s telling the truth,” Glyde said quietly. “I’m not your real navi.”</p><p>  Yuuichirou looked around the room grimly. “Of course. They a part of this virtual world, just like Enzan said.”</p><p>  Yaito stared at Glyde, unable to believe what she had just heard. Dekao turned slowly to stare at Gutsman. The tall navi refused to meet the boy’s eyes.</p><p>  “Iceman, tell me this isn’t true,” Tohru begged, staring at his small navi.</p><p>  “It’s true,” a voice said, replying before Iceman could. Blues walked out of the shadows and faced Elecman. “We may be copy navis made by Immersion, but we’re on your side. We want our operators to be rescued from this place before it’s too late.”</p><p>  Higure looked around frantically. “Where’s my navi then?” he asked, panicky. “Where’s Numberman?”</p><p>  “And Toadman!” Midorikawa cried.</p><p>  “They were not copied,” Blues replied. “Immersion figured that if they gave you enough battle chips, Higure, you would not notice Numberman was just another Double Program. Midorikawa was also too busy with her job to notice.”</p><p>  Both adults turned pale. Higure looked at his PET brokenly. Numberman had been acting oddly lately, but he had barely noticed. Midorikawa bit her lip and looked at her hands. She had barely spoken to Toadman at all over the last few weeks. No wonder she hadn’t noticed the switch.</p><p>  “I don’t believe you,” Elecman snapped. “You’re programs made by Immersion; you don’t want to help us. This is a trick.”</p><p>  Glyde walked up to Elecman and held Yaito out. “Take her,” he said gently.</p><p>  “Glyde!” Yaito cried, reaching back for him.</p><p>  “Take her back home, to where she belongs,” Glyde continued. He smiled at Yaito, tears in his eyes. “Goodbye, Yaito-sama. It has been a pleasure being your navi.”</p><p>  “Glyde!” Yaito screamed. Elecman took her from the taller navi’s arms, still staring at Glyde suspiciously.</p><p>  “Take them!” Blues said, gesturing. “Take them all away from here. We’ll stay behind and fend off the defense programs.”</p><p>  Yuuichirou nodded. “This place is set up so anyone connected to it has to leave a certain way. There’s only one point where a human can go back to his or her physical body without damaging their brain.” He frowned suddenly. “But how did I know that?” he whispered to himself.</p><p>  Blues nodded. “The entrance and exit—or the Gate, as Immersion calls it—is in one spot in the Net World. It’s heavily guarded to prevent outsiders without authorization to come in. I imagine many of your comrades are fighting to keep the Gate open.”</p><p>  “We have to take each human through the Gate one by one, or else they’ll retain permanent brain damage,” Magicman admitted.</p><p>  “Magicman!” Elecman cried. “Don’t tell him that!”</p><p>  “He’s obviously on our side, Elecman,” Magicman replied. He nodded at Blues. “We’ll do what you suggested.” He gestured toward the humans. “Come on.”</p><p>  “Roll-chan!” Meiru cried, ignoring Magicman and running up to the pink navi. “I won’t leave without you!”</p><p>  Roll looked away and wiped tears from her eyes. “Go on, Meiru-chan,” she said, pushing Meiru away. “Your real navi is waiting for you. I bet she’s worried sick.”</p><p>  “But what about you?” Meiru asked.</p><p>  “I’ll be okay,” Roll said, nodding. “All I want is for you to be safe. Go with Magicman now.”</p><p>  Meiru reluctantly walked toward the wizard navi, glancing uncertainly over her shoulder every few minutes. Midorikawa grabbed her arm and began to talk comfortingly to the girl.</p><p>  “Iceman…” Tohru said.</p><p>  “You don’t belong here, Tohru-kun,” Iceman replied, smiling at the boy. “If you go with Elecman and Magicman, you’ll be able to see your father again. Don’t worry about us.”</p><p>  “Come on, Tohru,” Higure said, walking over and tugging on the boy’s arm. “It’s time to leave.” He pulled the reluctant boy along with him.</p><p>  “Gutsman, you’re going to be okay here, right?” Dekao asked. “I’ll see you later on, won’t I?”</p><p>  “Of course you will, guts,” Gutsman said. “Right now, your real navi would be overjoyed to see you.”</p><p>  Dekao nodded and walked toward Magicman, not looking back. Elecman walked toward the group, pausing in front of Blues.</p><p>  “Good luck,” the electric navi whispered. He knew the copy navis’ chances as much as they did.</p><p>  “You too,” Blues said firmly.</p><p>  Elecman walked over to the group and placed his hands on Higure’s and Midorikawa’s shoulders. The group slowly faded from sight. They resembled ghosts fading from existence, but Blues knew the two navis were taking the direct route by cutting through the data streams that made up the underlying programming of the Net World.</p><p>  “You lied to Dekao-san,” Glyde said, looking at Gutsman. “We are going to die here.”</p><p>  “I know,” Gutsman said sadly.</p><p>  “We may face deletion,” Blues replied grimly, forming his sword. “But I’m planning on taking as many as them with me that I can.”</p><p>  The other copy navis nodded and got into defensive stances. They didn’t have to wait long as the Hikari house faded around them to reveal a battle grid. Defense programs began to appear, surrounding the navis.</p><p>  “We betrayed Immersion,” Iceman said. “They don’t seem to take that well.”</p><p>  “In that cause,” Blues replied. “Let’s give them the hell they deserve.”</p><p>  The battle was on.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. The Final Scenario</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Enzan and Netto ran down the street. It was empty of both people and cars; there were no signs of life anywhere. They had been running ever since Enzan had pulled Netto out of the balcony window. Fortunately, there was a tree branch nearby that Enzan had grabbed onto, or they would have fallen to their deaths. Netto wondered if he were crazy, following someone who claimed to have Netto’s life and was called a murderer by the police. But the disrupter device was resting heavily in his pocket, reminding him of the evidence he had seen with his own eyes.</p><p>  “Where are all the people?” Netto cried.</p><p>  “Who do you mean, the virtual reality programs?” Enzan shot back. “Just keep running!”</p><p>  “Where to?” Netto asked. “We have nowhere to go!”</p><p>  Enzan slowed to a stop and Netto gratefully stopped with him. They were both gasping for breath.</p><p>  “I don’t know,” Enzan said through his panting. “But we have to go somewhere.” He pulled out his PET and stared at it. Only a static filled screen greeted him. “Rockman?”</p><p>  “Looks like he’s gone, just like Blues,” Netto said grimly.</p><p>  “No, he can’t be…” Enzan whispered. “Rockman!”</p><p>  “Will you keep it down?” Netto hissed. “They’ll hear you and find us!”</p><p>  Enzan shook Netto’s hand off and gripped his PET with two hands. “Rockman, where are you? Answer me!”</p><p>  “Idiot!” Netto snapped. He was irritated at how Enzan had dismissed his worry over Blues earlier and thought the boy was getting what he deserved. “If you’re going to stand here and get killed, that’s fine by me! I’m going to find some shelter.” He wandered off toward one of the buildings, and after hesitating, Enzan followed him, still staring at his PET.</p><p>  “Rockman, please come back,” Enzan whispered. “I need you.” He blinked, surprised at how emotional he was getting. He had never truly appreciated the navi’s steadfast support and presence until it was gone. Now Enzan felt lost, and he had no idea what to do.</p><p><em>  Rockman’s the only friend I’ve got in this reality</em>, Enzan thought. <em>I can’t make it here without him.</em></p><p>  Netto burst through the doors of the store and looked around. “All clear,” he called.</p><p>  Enzan followed Netto into the building and looked around. “It’s a bakery,” he noted.</p><p>  “Yeah,” Netto replied, nodding. He reached for a pastry and inspected it. “It’s a good thing too, because I’m starving.” He took a large bite of the sugary treat, munching on it with obvious relish.</p><p>  “Considering that thing you’re holding isn’t even real, I don’t see what you’re so happy about,” Enzan pointed out.</p><p>  “It tastes real and that’s all the matters,” Netto said, wiping smears of frosting off the corners of his mouth. </p><p>  “Have you ever thought about what this virtual reality program does to your body to make it taste real?” Enzan asked.</p><p>  Netto mulled that over for a second. Then he found the nearest garbage can and retched. “I didn’t even think about that,” he groaned. “I’m not sure I want to.”</p><p>  “I haven’t been able to eat anything after I had that thought,” Enzan admitted.</p><p>  Netto sighed. “What are we going to do?”</p><p>  Enzan sat down at a table and sighed, looking at his PET. Static covered the screen no matter what button he pushed. “I wish I knew,” he said softly.</p><p>  Netto sat down in a chair and looked into his own PET, its screen covered in similar static. “I never imagined life without him,” he said softly. “No matter what, since the day I got him, he was always there for me.”</p><p>  Enzan stared at Netto. The boy had stated his same confusing feelings in simple words. “He went out of his way to protect me,” Enzan replied. “I hate the idea that I can’t be there for him.”</p><p>  “Yeah,” Netto said, sighing.</p><p>  A door in the back of the shop opened, and a man entered. Enzan and Netto leaped to their feet, but the man was dressed in a baker uniform and he didn’t seem to notice the two.</p><p>  “Excuse me?” Netto called. “I had one of your pastries. I’m sorry about that. I can pay, if you want.”</p><p>  The man looked up. He had no facial features.</p><p>  Enzan and Netto both screamed and ran out of the shop. They stood on the sidewalk, gasping.</p><p>  “What the <em>hell</em> was that?” Netto demanded.</p><p>  “I guess,” Enzan replied, his hand clamped against his chest in an effort to steady his wildly beating heart. “The program doesn’t need to hide what this place really is anymore.”</p><p>  “I forgot what I was dealing with,” Netto said between gasps. “It feels like we’re in some kind of horror movie!”</p><p>   “There they are!”</p><p>  Enzan and Netto looked up to see a group of uniformed police officers heading toward them.</p><p>  “Run!” Enzan yelled. He and Netto ducked into the alley next to the baker shop, only to skid to a stop.</p><p>  “It’s a dead end!” Netto cried, whirling around. The policemen were rapidly approaching. They had no chance of trying to get out of the alley without being caught.</p><p>  Enzan slid the leap pipe out belt and looked around frantically. By chance, he happened to glance up. The end of a fire escape ladder hung in the air. It was too far for him to reach. Out of desperation, he struck it with the pipe. The ladder slid down a few meters.</p><p>  “Come on!” Enzan shouted, dropping the pipe. He grabbed the bottom of the ladder and hauled himself up clumsily. Netto quickly followed Enzan, looking back over his shoulder at the officers on the ground. They stared up at the boys as the two made their way toward the rooftop, making no move to follow.</p><p>  “We did it!” Netto cried as they neared the top. “We lost them.”</p><p>  Enzan raised his head above the edge of the rooftop and froze. Stiffly he climbed onto the rooftop. Netto followed him, puzzled, until he saw what Enzan had spotted. He gasped and nearly fell off the ladder. Enzan reached down and helped him up, the white-haired boy never taking his eyes off the figure on the rooftop.</p><p>  “Miyuki!” Netto cried, finding his voice at last.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “They just keep coming!” Iceman cried. He froze a few defense programs rushing at him. “There’s no end to them!”</p><p>  Blues sliced three defense programs in half and paused to look the battle over. His small army of copy navis was doing badly. Gutsman’s left arm was heavily damaged, and he was forced to strike his opponents with only one fist. Glyde was cutting through the defense programs with his GlydeCannon, but he wasn’t used to fighting and had taken even more damage than Gutsman. Iceman was fighting valiantly, but the battle was taking its toll on the small navi. It was clear they wouldn’t make it unless a miracle happened.</p><p>  “Blues!” Roll cried. “Behind you!”</p><p>  Blues whirled to see two defense programs rushing him. He swung his sword up into a defensive position.</p><p>  “Blues! There’s another one!” Iceman screamed, taking his eyes off of his own battle for a moment. “Look out!”</p><p>  Out of the corner of his eye, Blues saw a defense program charging at him, a sword on one arm. The copy navi moved to block, but he knew he was too slow. The defense program swung the sword toward Blues’ midsection. Blues cringed, unable to do anything else.</p><p>  Then in a swirl of data bits, the defense program disappeared.</p><p>  “Rockman!” Roll cried out.</p><p>  Blues whirled to see the blue navi crouching nearby. Rockman fired off a quick session of shots at all of the defense programs within range. The battlefield was filled with data pieces and buster fire until there were no more defense programs in sight.</p><p>  “Copy Rockman,” Rockman said softly, standing up. “That’s all I am. That’s all <em>we</em> are.”</p><p>  Roll bit her lip. “So you know,” she said, looking away.</p><p>  Rockman ignored her. “Blues, Netto and Enzan-sama are in danger and they need our help,” Rockman said firmly, turning toward the red navi.</p><p>  “I can’t leave the others,” Blues replied.</p><p>  “This is pointless, Blues!” Rockman shot back. “We’re wasting time here while Netto and Enzan-sama could be dying! Don’t you care about your operator at all?”</p><p>  Blues didn’t reply.</p><p>  “We can handle things here!” Iceman called, freezing a few defense programs that had appeared. He was breathing heavily, and there was no strength behind his words.</p><p>  “Blues, we know you wanted to protect Netto,” Roll said softly. “That’s why you didn’t tell anyone the truth. Now we know Immersion doesn’t care about our operators. Meiru-chan is safe, but if she were in danger, I would do anything to help her.</p><p>  “It’s over, isn’t it?” Blues asked. “This is really the end.”</p><p>  “It was never real to begin with,” Rockman said. “Nothing in this world was. The past I thought I knew was nothing but lies, but that won’t stop me from saving the only person real to me.”</p><p>  “All right,” Blues said, lifting his head. “I’ll go with you, Rockman. Maybe we can still turn this situation around.”</p><p>  “That’s the spirit,” Roll said.</p><p>  “Roll-chan!” Gutsman huffed, slamming his fist into two defense programs, obliterating them. “Go with them! They need your help.”</p><p>  “But Gutsman—,” Roll protested.</p><p>  “He has a point!” Rockman interrupted. “We have a long way to go and a lot of opponents to fight to get there.”</p><p>  “All right,” Roll said. She gave Gutsman one last look before running to join the others. “Let’s go!”</p><p>  Rockman led the way, firing off shots from his buster when necessary. Soon they were out of sight of the copy navis left behind. Rockman charged ahead, Roll and Blues hot on his heels.</p><p><em>  Hang on, Enzan-sama</em>, Rockman silently begged. <em>I’m coming!</em></p><p>  The ground suddenly exploded out from beneath the navis. Rockman was thrown into the air and landed several meters away in a crumpled heap. Blues flipped backwards and landed on his feet. Roll landed against the ground hard, but she slowly stood up, clutching her side. A massive defense program stood before them. Its limbs were bulky and misshapen, and the two glowing slits that were its optical sensors were crooked.</p><p>  It was obviously badly programmed and barely holding together. That didn’t make it any less dangerous. Blues held up his arm and formed a sword. He scanned his surroundings quickly. Rock had been thrown far from the attacking ground and, although he didn’t look like he would get up anytime soon, he was currently out of danger. Roll, on the other hand, was closer to the defense program and in bad shape. She was between him and the enemy. Blues narrowed his hidden eyes. This was not good.</p><p>  “Roll, stay put,” he ordered. “Let me handle this thing.”</p><p>  Roll tried to say something, but her voice was weak and she couldn’t get anything out.</p><p>  The defense program began to move, but Blues was one step ahead of it. He surged forward, his blade positioned for a sweeping blow. The lumbering program saw him coming and stopped moving forward, cocking his head at the approaching red blur. Blues leaped into the air and swung his sharp sword down on the program’s head, only to recoil in horror as the blade shattered.</p><p>  Blues landed next to Roll and studied the end of his broken blade. It hadn’t even made a scratch.</p><p>  “He’s got no attacking power,” Roll rasped, grabbing his arm with one hand. The other hand was pressed firmly at her side, where data flickered in and out of pixels at an alarming rate. “It’s all built into his defense.”</p><p>  “But why?” Blues asked, using one arm to support her while keeping a careful eye on the program. It seemed confused and was looking around, as if unsure of what to do next.</p><p>  “The Net world is losing control,” Roll said softly. “It can no longer concentrate on everything at once, with most of its subjects escaping. My guess is it’s concentrating on one area only and doing the rest on automatic.”</p><p>  “Netto-kun and Enzan are out there,” Blues said grimly. “It’s still trying to kill him.”</p><p>  “It’s likely to kill both of them now,” Roll huffed. “Blues, you have to take Rockman and find them. They need your help.”</p><p>  “What about you?” Blues asked, moving his attention from the defense program to the pink navi. “<em>No</em>,” he said quickly, seeing the look in her eyes.</p><p>  “Someone has to distract that thing while you and Rockman escape,” she said softly.</p><p>  “I’m not going to let you throw your life away like that!” Blues snapped. “What about Meiru-chan?”</p><p>  “She has her original navi now,” Roll said, smiling slightly. “I’m nothing more than a copy. She’ll be fine.”</p><p>  “Roll…” Blues tried.</p><p>  “Don’t,” Roll shook her head, standing up straighter despite the pain in her side. “I’ve made up my mind. I’ve done my part, but you and Rockman still have to do yours.” She smiled at him, but he could see tears in her eyes.</p><p>  The defense program, tired of being ignored, began lumbering toward them again. Blue spared it a glance, his mind racing, trying to figure out how to get them all out of this mess.</p><p>  Roll leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. Blues froze; then he pulled her into a tight embrace, being careful of her wounded side. Roll pulled away after a moment, her eyes searching his visor.</p><p>  “Roll, I…” Blues tried to say.</p><p>  “Go,” she whispered, pulling away from him. A tear slid down her face, but she put on a tough look and refused to meet his hidden eyes.</p><p>  Blues tried to say something, anything to change her mind. “All right,” he said finally. “Good… goodbye, Roll.”</p><p>  She watched him as he quickly raced over to Rockman’s unconscious form, scooped him up, and ran toward the defense program. With a graceful leap, he jumped over the program and quickly disappeared on the horizon. The defense program clumsily tried to figure out where the two small targets had gone.</p><p>  “Hey, you ogre!” Roll shouted, getting its attention. “Why don’t you pay attention to what’s in front of you?”</p><p>  The defense program decided to take the easy route and started for Roll again.</p><p>  “That’s right, you bastard,” Roll growled. “Come get me. I hope whoever’s behind all this pays dearly for it. How could anyone kidnap children and other innocent people and place them in something as twisted as this?”</p><p>  She took a shuddering breath, drawing on all her power. She wished she could confront the core consciousness of the Net World, but she would have to be satisfied with destroying one of its creations.</p><p>  “You know,” she said as the program grabbed her and lifted her off the ground. “The funny thing about not being a real navi is that I can control everything that makes me. My programming, my attacks… and especially my energy.”</p><p>  She grinned, the pain engulfing her body making her mind hazy. “Which I’ve been building up for some time.”</p><p>
  <em>  Sorry Meiru-chan. I wish I could be there for you always. </em>
</p><p>  “In fact, it should blow right about—”</p><p># # #</p><p>  “I wouldn’t recommend you move,” Miyuki said coldly. The gun in her hands remained trained on Enzan and Netto. “All I’m asking is that you come quietly.”</p><p>  “You’re not Miyuki,” Enzan said quietly. “You’re just another creation of this virtual reality program.”</p><p>  “Move away from the fire escape,” Miyuki said, gesturing with the end of her gun. The two followed her command, moving sideways along the building’s edge. “Ijuuin-san,” Miyuki said, looking at Netto. “I’m sorry you had to be caught up in all of this. Your father will not be pleased.”</p><p>  “His name is Hikari Netto!” Enzan snapped. “Stop pretending this is real! We know this isn’t. We know the truth.”</p><p> “The truth is you’re very ill,” Miyuki replied. “Ill enough to attack someone trying to help you and kill him.”</p><p>  “I’m only twelve years old!” Enzan cried. “How can I kill someone as big and strong as Hino Ken?”</p><p>  Miyuki smiled. “Like this,” she said, firing the gun.</p><p>  “Enzan!” Netto cried.</p><p>  Enzan stared at his chest. For some reason, there was a large red spot forming on his shirt, and it was growing larger. He realized dimly that he had been shot and wondered why it didn’t hurt.</p><p>  Miyuki walked toward the boys. Netto stared at Enzan’s wound, frozen in horror and fear. Miyuki stopped in front of Enzan and grabbed a handful of his hair, staring into his terrified eyes.</p><p>  “You should have minded your own business,” she said. Then she shoved him backwards.</p><p>  Enzan heard Netto scream out his name again and realized he was falling. She had shoved him off the building and he was falling to his death. Then he remembered he had been shot and should be dead anyway. He would have thought some more on the subject, but he hit the ground the next moment.</p><p>  “<em>Enzan</em>!” Netto scream.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. The Last Chance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  The grid field was blank and empty. To an ignorant person, it would seem like there was nothing there. That person would be wrong. There was something there, something that was everywhere in the twisted reality it made up.</p><p>
  <strong>  The Final Scenario is complete. Any second now, the power resulting from it would send out a massive power surge that will purge this world of the Internet and the evils it contains.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  ….???</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  Yuuhi-chan? Are you there?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  …</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  …Yuuhi-chan?</strong>
</p><p>  Something was wrong. Yuuhi wasn’t responding to the frequency she had specified earlier they were to use. Something prickled one side of his realm, like stinging ants. Those damn Net Agents and their navis, it had to be. They had been corrupting his data with their presence ever since they had broken the code. Now that he was done with the Final Scenario, he could squash them like the flies they were.</p><p>  …Was the Final Scenario completed? Ijuuin Enzan was dead, he had seen to that. Why hadn’t the energy surge happened yet?</p><p>
  <strong>  Yuuhi-chan?</strong>
</p><p>  She wasn’t answering. That wasn’t in the plan at all. He scanned all his data again, and was frightened by what he found. Many subjects were already separated from him completely. He couldn’t even connect with the machines that monitored their real bodies. Those annoying intruders were wasting his energy and keeping the Gate open—but why?</p><p>  His power was fading, he could feel it. Somehow he was being shut down from the outside—where was Yuuhi-chan? Why wasn’t she helping him?</p><p>
  <strong>  Yuuhi-chan, where are you? What’s happening to me?</strong>
</p><p>  He tried to scan the rest of his realm. Some areas responded, giving him blank images… and others did not respond at all. Where they deleted? Who dared delete a part of him?</p><p>  He tried searching again, focusing his search away from the Gate. There, racing along one area were two Copy Navis. No problem, they were not a threat. And in another area, one he had just left, he sensed two subjects. One was Hikari Netto, and the other…</p><p>  It couldn’t be. He had personally made sure that the human boy had died. How was it possible Ijuuin Enzan had escaped fate?</p><p>  Data swirled in the once barren grid, and formed the body of a female. Miyuki looked over herself and frowned. Obviously this form, no matter how convincing, had not done the job. The data swirled again, coming together to form a smaller, masculine form. He looked over himself and smiled. This form would do. In this form he would kill Ijuuin Enzan and complete the Final Scenario. Then Yuuhi-chan would be happy.</p><p>  The data swirled and dissipated, but the core consciousness of the Net World was still there. He could reach his target faster without a physical form. He was the Net World, the power that held everything and everyone in this reality, his realm. And now he would complete his mission.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “Guts Hammer!”</p><p>  Two more defense programs fell in the face of Gutsman’s onslaught, but as soon as their pixilated data disappeared, two more defense programs appeared out of nowhere to take their place.</p><p>  “Gutsman… can’t take… much more of this,” he huffed.</p><p>  Glyde used his cannon to strike down three of his opponents. “It’s doubtful, my friend, that we’ll last long enough to take much more,” he said grimly.</p><p>  Gutsman stiffened suddenly, an unfortunate occurrence for the defense program in his hand as he clenched it into a fist unconsciously. “Roll-chan,” he murmured.</p><p>  Iceman froze a few of his opponents and turned toward Gutsman. “What’s wrong with Roll-chan?” he asked.</p><p>  “She’s gone,” Gutsman said in a daze.</p><p>  “She’s… gone?” Iceman repeated in disbelief. His shoulders slumped as the meaning of Gutsman’s words sunk in.</p><p>  “Iceman, look out!” Glyde cried, seeing the numerous defense programs sneaking up on the little navi when his back was turned.</p><p>  Iceman perked his head up a bit, but didn’t try to do anything else as he was buried underneath a pile of defense programs. He didn’t even get a chance to cry out—and when Glyde saw a swirl of data emerge from beneath the programs, he knew the little navi would never have that chance again.</p><p>  “Now Iceman’s gone,” Gutsman said sadly, halfheartedly crunching another program under his massive fists.</p><p>  “Don’t give up!” Glyde cried. “We still have hope.”</p><p>  “Roll-chan has no hope,” Gutsman said softly, looking at Glyde sorrowfully. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see one of the defense programs form a cannon and aim it at him. “Gutsman only hopes that Dekao-kun has hope.”</p><p>  “Gutsman—” Glyde watched in horror as the cannon did its work, and Gutsman ceased to operate. He bowed his head. His friends were dead and his beloved Yaito was back in her world, where she belonged. He was fighting a meaningless battle.</p><p>  “What a cruel fate, to be a creature that feels like it has a place in this world, but truly doesn’t,” Glyde said softly, smiling slightly at his opponents but doing nothing to stop their advance. “No wonder Blues kept the truth to himself. He couldn’t accept being nothing but a copy of someone else. But in the end, that’s what we are. Or should I say,” he added as the defense programs took aim. “That’s what we were.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Elecman looked around, thoroughly irritated. “Where are they?” he asked crossly.</p><p>  Magicman looked up. “Who?”</p><p>  “Blues and Rockman,” the World Three navi replied. “Colorman sent word that his team was on their way back. Why haven’t we heard anything?”</p><p>  “The job they were given is much harder than everything else,” Skullman pointed out. He grunted and braced himself against the opening more. “While you’re waiting, why don’t you give us a hand with the Gate?”</p><p>  “My <em>virii</em> attack can handle that,” Magicman said in a bored tone. “Step aside.”</p><p>  “No!”</p><p>  Elecman looked up to see Sharkman approaching. Magicman also stopped short of calling his viral hordes, noticing Glyde, Iceman, and Woodman following the fish-headed navi.</p><p>  “Commander Beef said that the Net World is becoming extremely unstable,” Sharkman said. “Any introduction of viruses or power surges—such as battle chips—could bring it all literally down around us!”</p><p>  “Didn’t you have a job to do?” Elecman asked.</p><p>  “The defense programs all disappeared,” Sharkman replied. “Either the Net World no longer has the patience or power to fight us, or something else has grabbed its attention. What about your job?”</p><p>  “We got all the humans through,” Magicman said, gesturing toward the opening. The vast blackness beyond the tear in the Net World’s realm was an instant way out—for the navis, it led back to their PETs. To the humans, it led back to their bodies. “We put them through, one by one, as Commander Beef said.”</p><p>  “And Yaito-chan?” Glyde asked impatiently.</p><p>  “She went through with the others,” Elecman said. “What I don’t understand is why we have to send them through one by one.”</p><p>  “Fortunately, the Net World is set up so that anyone integrated into it can easily be separated from it,” Fireman spoke up from his position at the Gate. “It’s a failsafe in case someone has to go in manually. However, since the Net World is directly connected to a person’s consciousness, it can’t handle two minds trying to return through the link at once.”</p><p>  “But why do they have to return at all?” Elecman asked. “Aren’t their minds still in their bodies? And how would you know?”</p><p>  “It’s true, their minds are still in their bodies,” Fireman acknowledged. “However, the connection isn’t really bringing their minds into the Net World; it’s bringing the Net World into their minds. Whatever they believe happens to them here can happen to them physically, because they are so integrated into the Net World. So if they think they’re going through a Gate leading back into their bodies, their minds will retreat from the Net World, allowing our operators to pull the link without damaging them.”</p><p>  The other navis blinked at him.</p><p>  “Do you think Hino Ken-sama and I went here unprepared?” Fireman added.</p><p>  “It’s true that this place represents what happens to them in both worlds,” Sharkman said. “That’s why killing Enzan here would kill him in the real world; the brain, thinking it was dead, would stop functioning.”</p><p>  “Fascinating,” Glyde muttered.</p><p>  “Creepy if you ask me,” Iceman said, shuddering.</p><p>  Sharkman turned to face them. “Why don’t you two log out? I’m sure your operators will be conscious soon and glad to see you.”</p><p>  The two agreed and stepped through the Gate. The instant any part of them touched it, they disappeared. Soon Elecman was bored again.</p><p>  “Here comes Colorman and his group,” Magicman said, pointing. “Looks like they have the rest of the Oyama clan.”</p><p>  Sure enough, Gutsman was carrying a man and woman that resembled Dekao in his large arms. They both looked a little spooked (and Elecman couldn’t blame them, coming face-to-face with their son’s navi).</p><p>  “Since when was it Colorman’s group?” Woodman asked Sharkman in a mock whisper. The other navi shushed him.</p><p>  “Well?” Roll asked breathlessly once she was in earshot. “Are they all right?”</p><p>  “Both Meiru and Dekao have safely returned to the real word,” Sharkman assured her.</p><p>  “Dekao-kun?” the woman asked tentatively. “Is he all right?”</p><p>  “Yes, and so is Chisao,” Sharkman replied.</p><p>  The woman gave a little shriek. “My Chisao-chan? Where is he?” Her husband quickly joined her, placing a protective arm on her shoulders.</p><p>  Roll quickly intervened, explaining how they had to get back to their bodies. Because Roll was the most humanoid of the bunch, her presence had a calming effect on the Oyamas, something she knew would happen. They were overwhelmed already, and Sharkman, although good, was a frightening figure. Skullman’s leering face didn’t help things, and he tried to go as unnoticed as possible.</p><p>  “Going through this… hole will take us back to our children?” Dekao’s father asked doubtfully, looking at Skullman sideways.</p><p>  “Yes, but you must go through one at a time,” Roll explained. “the Net Agents and other authorities are waiting to help you once you wake up.”</p><p>  The man snorted. “I don’t care much for Net Agents,” he said. “But I’m willing to take any risk to help my children. Honey, stay here. I’ll go first.”</p><p>  “If you insist, dear,” she said fearfully, watching him disappear.</p><p>  “You can follow him now,” Roll said kindly.</p><p>  The woman nodded slowly, and she closed her eyes tightly like a child jumping off the high board and stepped forward.</p><p>  “About time,” Skullman hissed.</p><p>  “Interesting attitude they had about Net Agents,” Elecman commented.</p><p>  “Unfortunately, most people have that attitude,” Sharkman said dryly. “Which is why we can’t bring people like you to justice.”</p><p>  “How unfortunate,” Colorman simpered, glaring daggers at Sharkman.</p><p>  Magicman cocked his head. “Hush!” he commanded. “No one move!”</p><p>  Elecman ignored his command and turned to face the wizard-like navi. “What is it?”</p><p>  “I don’t think the Net World has forgotten about us,” Magicman said grimly. “Far from it.”</p><p>  The world around them turned red, confirming his words. Each navi braced for an attack, but no one expected the powerful invisible force that slammed into them. Skullman and Fireman were quickly knocked into the Gate, being the nearest to it. The others soon followed, unable to fight the force that was pushing them toward the Gate. Only Magicman had followed his own advice and froze completely. It worked, for a time. Then a figure appeared in front of him.</p><p>  Magicman gasped. “Ijuuin Enzan?”</p><p>  “No,” the boy said simply, holding out a hand. Magicman felt something slam into his shoulder, propelling him backward. The last thing he saw before he was logged out was a smirk forming on the face of the person he had thought was Enzan.</p><p>  The Gate disappeared after Magicman was gone, as if it had never been there.</p><p># # #</p><p>  Meiru opened her eyes. They felt heavy, like they had been closed for a long time. She spent a few more minutes pondering how odd that was until she noticed the room around her. It was large and metallic in hue, and it was filled with numerous coffin-like boxes. They were long and black, big enough to contain a body. She shuddered, wondering why she automatically associated the black containers with coffins.</p><p>  Meiru turned her head away from the sight, and saw something that disturbed her even more. She was dressed in a skintight black suit, that covered her skin completely from head to toe. There were several niches and metallic rings on the suit, and to her horror, there were a few wires connected to those rings—connected to <em>her</em>. A hand reached over and yanked them out, and she turned her head to see a young woman with wild pink hair staring at her, the wires held in the woman’s hand.</p><p>  “Feeling better?” the woman asked, making a face as if the words were distasteful to her.</p><p>  “Who are you?” Meiru asked, thoroughly confused.</p><p>  “She’s lost her memory!” the woman shrieked. “She has permanent brain damage!”</p><p>  “Oh, shut up, Madoi,” another voice said. Meiru turned her head to see a familiar-looking red-haired man with a goatee glaring at the woman. “It’s just the effects of the Net World. It’ll wear off in a few hours. Not that forgetting you is any great tragedy.”</p><p>  “Hey!” Madoi snapped. “Watch your mouth, Hino Ken! Or do you like being a Net Agent so much you’ve decided to join them?”</p><p>  “Don’t you—” Hino Ken started.</p><p>  “Oh, stop it both of you,” a green-haired woman said tiredly, rubbing her head. “Honestly, I don’t understand how you can be around each other for more than an hour. You certainly give me a headache.” She turned to Meiru and smiled. “Just lie still for a few moments, and you’ll feel a lot better.”</p><p>  “Where am I?” Meiru asked weakly.</p><p>  “That’s a long story,” the woman said, fatigue creeping into her voice again. “But I can assure you that you’ll be with your parents soon.”</p><p>  “My parents? Are they all right?” Meiru asked, her eyes widening.</p><p>  “They both fine and worried sick about you,” the woman assured her. “If you need any help, just call for me, Saloma.” She turned and approached one of the coffin-like devices. With a press of a button, the cover slid over, revealing a body covered with wires and tubes. Meiru watched, wide-eyed, as Saloma carefully began removing the attachments and dropping them on the floor, eventually revealing the face of Tohru.</p><p><em>  What’s going on?</em> she asked herself, bewildered.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “Commander Beef!”</p><p>  “I see it,” Beef said grimly. He watched his PET as a badly damaged Sharkman appeared on is screen.</p><p>  “We were kicked out,” Roll said wretchedly. “That—that thing closed the Gate behind us.”</p><p>  “It was the Net World, according to Magicman,” Mahajarama said, looking up from the two PETs that were in his hand. Half of their net-battling force had gone to free the subjects as they started waking, since there was nothing else they could do but wait and watch. Beef had three PETs stretched out in front of him and one in his hand.</p><p>  “The Net World took on a physical form and personally kicked them out,” Mahajarama continued. “That’s all he was able to tell me.”</p><p>  “But it didn’t delete them,” Miyuki added, a slight puzzled tone in her voice.</p><p>  “And it didn’t try to strike at the subjects while they were helpless,” Beef said thoughtfully. “I wonder why?”</p><p>  “None of this matters,” Ijuuin said impatiently. “We’ve got what we came for; forget what the program does.”</p><p>  “It’s not that simple…” Miyuki said softly. She stared at her PET, Skullman staring mournfully back. “My navi tells me that Rockman and Blues are still in the Net World. And with them, Netto and Enzan.”</p><p>  “Forget this!” Ijuuin spat, slamming the PET on a table. “Using navis to solve this problem is useless! Why don’t we just unplug them from the machines?”</p><p>  “Because that would result in permanent brain damage for both of them,” Miyuki replied calmly.</p><p>  “I want my son back!” Ijuuin snapped.</p><p>  “We all want them back,” Beef said wearily. “And right now, we have to trust those ‘useless’ navis to do what we can’t.”</p><p>  “But how will they escape the Net World without a way out?” Mahajarama asked.</p><p>  “I don’t know,” Beef admitted. “I really don’t know.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Hikari Enzan’s Revenge</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Enzan groaned and rolled over. He was lying on something flat and hard, and—as he grew more aware of his limbs—extremely uncomfortable. Something was bothering him in the back of his mind, but he ignored it, focusing on more immediate concerns. He slowly pushed himself into a sitting position and opened his eyes.</p><p>  He could see nothing.</p><p>  He blinked and rubbed his eyes, trying to make sure he had really opened them. They were open, according his fingers, but still he could see nothing. He shakily got to his feet, unable to see where to place them or what he was standing on. His probing hands revealed nothing; only an odd smoothness of the ground that could have been metal or glass.</p><p>  “Am I dead?” he asked quietly. His own voice echoed in his ears, doing nothing to soothe his worries.</p><p>
  <strong>  You aren’t dead, Ijuuin Enzan.</strong>
</p><p>  “W-what?” Enzan started, trying to jerk away from a voice that seemed to come from everywhere. “Where am I? Who are you?”</p><p>
  <strong>  You aren’t dead, although you should be. Yuuhi-chan wanted you to be dead.</strong>
</p><p>  “Where am I?” Enzan asked again.</p><p>
  <strong>  You’re within my realm. Although you won’t be for long.</strong>
</p><p>  “Why is that?” Enzan asked suspiciously. Now that he knew he wasn’t dead, he could dismiss his irrational feelings and get to the bottom of the situation.</p><p><strong>  Because, Ijuuin En</strong>zan, you’ll soon <em>be</em> dead.” The voice solidified in the middle of the sentence and came from his right. Enzan tried to locate the owner of the voice, but not before he felt something connect with his jaw. He fell backwards and landed hard; unable to see, he couldn’t possible brace himself.</p><p>  And then there was light, and he found himself looking into the cold, hard eyes of someone he knew too well. Someone who was almost a mirror image of himself, without the hair dye.</p><p>  “You’re…. You’re Hikari Enzan?” he gasped.</p><p>  “No,” the boy replied, smirking. “I <em>made</em> Hikari Enzan.” Blue eyes flashed with anger as the figure continued to glare at Enzan. “I am the Net World, which you seem so eager to destroy.”</p><p>  “You… you’re trying to kill me!” Enzan snapped.</p><p>  The boy shrugged. “Yuuhi-chan wants you dead. I don’t care either way… or I didn’t,” he continued darkly, “until you began destroying parts of me.”</p><p>  Enzan scrambled to his feet. There seemed to be some light now, but he couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. He could see the ground, but he couldn’t distinguish it from the blackness surrounding him.</p><p>  “I haven’t destroyed anything!” Enzan spat angrily. “I only want to go home!”</p><p>“Then what did you do to Yuuhi-chan?” the Net World in the form of Hikari Enzan demanded. “Where is she?”</p><p>  “I don’t even know who she is!” Enzan exclaimed.</p><p>  “You lie.” His double narrowed its eyes. “Yuuhi-chan said you were dangerous. That’s why she wanted you dead.”</p><p>  “And how are you going to accomplish that?” Enzan asked skeptically.</p><p>  Hikari Enzan grinned. “Like this.”</p><p>  Enzan didn’t see how it happened, but the next moment he was on the ground again, his clone’s fingers wrapped around his neck. Hikari Enzan’s grip was strong, so strong that no air could escape from Enzan’s lungs. He choked, unable to speak, and tried to kick the double.</p><p>  “Why are you fighting me?” Hikari Enzan asked, his voice mocking. “What life do you have to go back to? Your father doesn’t love you; he thinks you’re worthless. The rest of the world laughs at you behind your back and patronize you for your money to your face. Your net-battling status couldn’t impress most people over fifteen—unlike you, they have real things to think about. And your navi? Well, he’s probably better off without you. Maybe his next master won’t be so cold.”</p><p>  Enzan managed to knee his double in the stomach, knocking Hikari Enzan away from him. He tried to get onto feet, but his lungs ached, and all he could manage was to shakily get on his knees.</p><p>  “Look at you,” Hikari Enzan hissed. “The world should thank me for this, getting rid of someone like you. Yuuhi-chan will be pleased.” He stood up and approached his crouching foe, pausing to study the gasping boy. “You were better off being me,” the double said. “Good—ack!”</p><p>  Hikari Enzan jerked and choked on his words. There was a deep cut in his side, nearly splitting his body in two. Without another word he fell, Enzan watching him in disbelief.</p><p>  The double lay there for a moment, his eyes wide and staring. “Yuuhi… chan…” he whispered, a dark liquid pouring from his mouth. Then he simply disappeared.</p><p>  Enzan stumbled to his feet, staring apprehensively into the darkness. It slowly began to fade, revealing a typical grid-patterned area and a crouching figure, one arm formed into a sword and hidden eyes locked on the boy.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama,” Blues said as he stood up, his sword morphing back into his hand. “Are you all right?”</p><p>  Enzan stared at him for a long moment. “Did you… did you just call me Enzan… sama?”</p><p>  “Enzan!”</p><p>  Enzan turned to see Netto stumbling toward him. The younger boy grabbed his shoulders and stared hard into Enzan’s face. “Enzan, are you all right?” he gasped. “Miyuki shot you!”</p><p>  “She did, didn’t she?” Enzan said in a dazed tone, looking down at his chest. There was no blood or hole there, and he felt it with his hands to make sure.</p><p>  “I don’t know what happened,” Netto confessed in a bewildered tone. “First you fell, then Miyuki disappeared, then everything disappeared… and now I’m here!”</p><p>  “Miyuki shot you?” Blues cut in, studying his operator with worry.</p><p>  “Blues?” Netto stared at the navi in shock. “You—you’re real,” he stammered.</p><p>  A smaller, blue figure popped up from behind the tall navi. “Netto-kun!” Rockman cried. “You’re okay!”</p><p>  Netto jerked back as if he had just been shot. “You told me we switched lives…” he breathed, looking at Enzan. “But I never dreamed we’d switch navis too.”</p><p>  “Netto-kun?” Rockman looked hurt at his operator’s words.</p><p>  Blues placed a hand on the smaller navi’s shoulder briefly. “They’re still believing what the Net World has told them,” he said. “It’s only natural they won’t remember us.”</p><p>  Enzan took a few jerking steps forward and grasped Blues’ arms, staring into his face hopefully. “Are you real?”  he whispered.</p><p>  “Of course I am,” Blues said, sounding surprised. “Are you all right, Enzan-sama?”</p><p>  “I-I’m fine, now that you’re here,” Enzan replied, smiling broadly. He surprised everyone by hugging the tall navi. He had been through too much and had missed Blues too much in the past few days to care about his reputation anymore. The red-toned navi alone had seen the tears in his operator’s eyes.</p><p>  “Netto-kun, we’re going to get you two out of here, and back home,” Rockman said firmly, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder.</p><p>  Netto looked at him oddly, trying to accept the fact that this was his navi. “Home,” he repeated softly. “With… you?”</p><p>  Rockman nodded, eager to have his operator act like normal again. “And Mama and Papa. We’ll be together again, Netto-kun.”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, your father is worried about you,” Blues said quietly.</p><p>  Enzan released the navi in surprise. “He’s… worried about me?”</p><p>  “We have company!” Rockman said sharply, shoving Netto behind him protectively. Blues followed suit, whirling around and forming his sword to face the approaching threat.</p><p>  “More defense programs,” the taller navi growled.</p><p>  “Only five of them this time,” Rockman observed. “And they don’t look too healthy. We should be able to take them.”</p><p>  The defense programs lurched toward the small group, resembling something out of a horror film. Their movements would be comical if it weren’t for the deadly arm cannons each of them sported.</p><p>  Blues and Rockman braced for an attack, but they were taken aback when the defense programs disappeared in a swirl of data. Another dark figure stood behind them, one arm wielding a sword and the other holding a slumped form.</p><p>  “Another Rockman and Blues?” Netto whispered. “Now I’m really confused…”</p><p>  “Stay back, Enzan-sama,” Blues warned. “He could be dangerous.”</p><p>  The figure looked up. “Only to defense programs,” he said quietly. “I am Copy Blues, the replacement navi for Netto.”</p><p>  Enzan’s mind raced. If this was the Blues that Netto had operated in the Net World, then the navi in his arm was the Rockman he had been dealing with through this whole ordeal. “Is he all right?” he asked worriedly, taking a step forward.</p><p>  Blues clamped a hand on Enzan’s shoulder, holding him back. “He could be lying,” he replied to Enzan’s puzzled look.</p><p>  “Rockma—Copy Rockman will be all right,” Copy Blues assured the boy. “He was attacked by a defense program while coming to save you, but he should wake up soon.”</p><p>  “To save them?” Rockman snorted. “More like help the Net World kill them!”</p><p>  Copy Blues sighed. “You don’t understand what we are, do you? After Immersion had kidnapped everyone they could get their hands on to put in the Net World, they copied the data of all your navis, right down to the personality. However, the copied navis memories were altered to fit into this world. All of them, including Copy Rockman, never knew they were living a lie. All but one.”</p><p>  “Which would be you,” Blues stated, gazing at his double steadily.</p><p>  Copy Blues nodded hesitantly. “I knew the truth, but I didn’t know all of Immersion’s plans. I didn’t know they were going to kill Enzan. Still… that’s no excuse. I wanted… I wanted to be Netto-ku… Netto’s navi, and I didn’t care what it took. I was given a code that would activate the memories of the truth in each navi—<em>in case</em> something went wrong and <em>in case</em> Immersion needed our help.”</p><p>  He laughed bitterly. “Needless to say, when the time came, Immersion was the last thing we wanted to help.”</p><p>  “Where are the other navis?” Netto asked, looking around.</p><p>  “Deleted, probably,” Blues said, his voice still filled with bitterness. “We barely made it here. Immersion doesn’t take traitors lightly.”</p><p>  “And everyone else who was kidnapped?” Blues asked.</p><p>  “Gone by now, I’m sure,” Copy Blues assured him. “Your companions took them to the Gate.”</p><p>  “So…” Enzan said quietly, speaking for the first time. “Rock—Copy Rockman knew I didn’t belong here?”</p><p>  “No!” Copy Blues shook his head firmly. “Copy Rockman would do anything for you. If he knew you were right, and this wasn’t your world, he would have done anything to help you out.”</p><p>  “You knew?” Rockman repeated, looking at Enzan.</p><p>  “For some reason,” Enzan replied, glancing at the blue navi briefly. “I was the only one not given false memories.”</p><p>  “We’re here to help,” Copy Blues said, meeting Blues’ hostile glare steadily. “I know my way around the Net World.”</p><p>  Copy Rockman’s eyes fluttered open, and he looked around in confusion before his gaze settled on Enzan. “Enzan-sama!” he cried out, sounding relieved. “You’re okay!”</p><p>  Copy Blues carefully set the navi down, and Enzan took that moment to look into Copy Rockman’s eyes. Somehow he had never wondered what the copy navi actually was—he had taken his presence for granted, just like he took Blues’ presence for granted. And yet, now that he knew what Copy Rockman was—a mere copy—he couldn’t bring himself to think of the navi any differently. The only difference he could sense in Copy Rockman’s eyes was a deep sadness. He could understand that.</p><p>  “You can trust them, Blues,” he said quietly, glancing at his own navi. “They’re copies of you and Rockman, remember? Exact copies. That means they care about us just as much as you do.”</p><p>  “We should go,” Copy Blues said. “The Net World has taken too much damage, and is losing control. Soon it will collapse under its own power, taking Netto and Enzan with it.”</p><p>  “Lead the way,” Blues replied, his voice still hostile. Enzan gave him a dirty look, but there was no way of telling if the tall navi saw it. Copy Blues nodded and turned around. With a sigh, Copy Rockman followed without a second glance at Enzan. Netto and Enzan started after them without hesitation, and, after Blues and Rockman exchanged a look, the other navis followed.</p><p>  “Blues?” Netto said softly, addressing the copy navi.</p><p>  Copy Blues looked over his shoulder to indicate he was listening.</p><p>  “I’m glad to see you’re all right,” Netto continued, smiling to emphasize his words.</p><p>  Copy Blues nodded and returned the smile before turning his attention back to the way ahead. Enzan couldn’t figure out how he knew he was going—it all looked the same to him. He half suspected the real navis felt that way as well, which may be why they didn’t fight the copy navi’s suggestion.</p><p>  Enzan stared at the back of Copy Rockman. He seemed to be walking slumped, like he had been defeated somehow. Giving Blues an uncertain glance, Enzan came to a decision and quickened his pace to catch up to the copy navi. He was very glad to see Blues, and hated leaving the tall navi’s side, but he couldn’t watch Copy Rockman’s misery and be unmoved. Maybe the navi had been his partner for too long—or the Net World had, in some way, gotten to him too.</p><p>  “Rockman,” he said quietly, falling in step with the blue copy navi. “This isn’t your fault. I’m not angry with you about anything.”</p><p>  Copy Rockman looked at him quickly, but he looked away before Enzan could identify the emotion in the smaller navi’s eyes. “I’m nothing more than Copy Rockman now, Enzan-sama,” he said sadly.</p><p>  “That doesn’t matter to me,” Enzan protested. “It shouldn’t matter to you, either. You didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, you helped me out—in a lot of ways,” he added, realizing how true the words were.</p><p>  “Really?” Copy Rockman asked, eyeing Enzan hopefully.</p><p>  “Really,” Enzan replied. “Tell you what—I’m sure there’s a way you can come with us. Netto’s father should be able to figure it out—he can do practically anything with navis.”</p><p>  “You think so?” Copy Rockman asked.</p><p>  Copy Blues tilted his head, about to protest, but he stopped himself. There was no reason Copy Rockman should lose his hope, not now. “We’re here,” he said instead, stopping.</p><p>  Rockman put a protective hand on Netto’s shoulder and looked around the area with a frown. “I don’t see anything. And that didn’t take us any time at all!”</p><p>  “The Net World is a very small place if you know how to navigate around it,” Copy Blues replied. He too frowned at the surrounding area. “And the Gate should be here…”</p><p>  “And it was,” Blues said, studying the area through his visor scanner. “Until someone shut it by force. I don’t think we’re going to get it open by ourselves.”</p><p>  “Oh, no,” Copy Rockman moaned. “We’re running out of time! I can feel the Net World shutting down around us!”</p><p>  “We may be low on time, but not on hope,” Copy Blues said grimly. “There’s another place we can get out of. It’ll be rough and risky, but it’s the only choice. Follow me!” He turned and started sprinting. Without much hesitation the others followed.</p><p>  Copy Rockman grabbed Enzan’s arm, helping steady the boy as he ran. The pace may have been easy for the navis, but the copy navi could tell it would wear his operator quickly down. “I don’t want to get separated!” he explained. Enzan smiled at him.</p><p>  Blues curled one hand into a fist, but refrained from doing anything. His scanner had picked up the signs of decay and destruction the copy navis spoke of, just underneath the surface of the misleading peaceful grid.</p><p>  Netto, having no navi to steady him, tripped over his feet and fell onto his knees. Rockman cried out and turn to help his operator, but somehow, even though he had been in front, Copy Blues had gotten there first. He had already pulled Netto to his feet when Rockman got to them. For a moment, Rockman felt jealous—until he saw the smile on Copy Blues’ lips as he looked the boy over.</p><p><em>  He cares about him just as much as I do</em>, Rockman realized. <em>That’s why he was so hesitant to let him go.</em></p><p>  Copy Blues looked up. “Rockman, can you help Netto-kun while I lead the way?” he asked, ignoring Netto protests.</p><p>  “Yes,” Rockman replied, nodding. He placed a hand on Netto’s shoulder and encouraged the boy forward, trying to ignore the uneasy look Netto was giving him.</p><p>  Then they were off again. Soon, however, Enzan felt a stitch developing in his side, and by the sound of Netto’s panting, the younger net-battler wasn’t doing much better.</p><p>  “We should stop,” Rockman said finally. “Our operators can’t take this pace much longer.”</p><p>  “It’s not a good idea,” Copy Blues warned, but he relented once he was the look of exhaustion on the boys’ faces. “For just a short time,” he said firmly.</p><p>  “Slave driver,” Enzan grumbled as he sank to his knees.</p><p>  “He’s just worried,” Copy Rockman said, but he had to cover his mouth to hide his smile.</p><p>  The real Rockman and Blues stood together a few feet away, keeping watch on both the surroundings and the copy navis. Copy Rockman reminded hovering near Enzan, while Copy Blues focused his attention on their surroundings. The real navis were obviously hostile toward the copy navis—but Enzan couldn’t blame them, knowing they couldn’t be sure of anything the Immersion creations had said. He just wished Blues weren’t so openly hostile toward Copy Rockman.</p><p>  “I don’t know,” Netto said softly, catching his breath. “Rockman—the other Rockman, seems to know me extremely well, but the memories I have seem so real.” He looked at Enzan helplessly.</p><p>  “All I can say is that what Rockman tells you is the truth,” Enzan replied. “You don’t have to accept it just yet; give it time to sink in.”</p><p>  “Yeah…” Netto gave him a slanted look. “So you’re not really a chip-stealing, obnoxious jerk?”</p><p>  Enzan laughed. He surprised himself at how easy it was, and by the looks the real Blues and Rockman were giving him, he had surprised them as well. Netto, not knowing to be surprised, smiled back.</p><p>  “Well,” Enzan said, still smiling. “I don’t know about the chip-stealing part.”</p><p>  Netto’s expression melted into disbelief. “You’re not—”</p><p>  “We should go now,” Copy Blues interrupted loudly.</p><p>  “They haven’t even recovered fully yet!” Rockman protested.</p><p>  “There’s no more time,” Copy Blues said, gesturing for Enzan and Netto to get up. They stood reluctantly, but they could hear the undercurrent of urgency in the copy navi’s voice. “We should—” He stopped speaking suddenly, his remaining words freezing in his throat.</p><p>  “What’s wrong?” Copy Rockman cried.</p><p>  Enzan had already spotted Blues’ problem, and he watched in horror as a blade slowly pushed through the copy navi’s chest, cutting the symbol in half. The real Blues disappeared in a blur, his sword formed and ready. He swung it at the defense program hiding in the copy navi’s shadow, but it simply bounced off. Shocked, Blues jumped back, unable to tear his eyes away from the horrible sight before him.</p><p>  “<em>Blues!</em>” Netto screamed, rushing toward the copy navi. Rockman surged forward with unusual speed and grabbed the boy firmly from behind, preventing him from moving.</p><p>  “It—It’s too late,” Enzan whispered. The symbol on a navi held all the valuable data, and it was being deleted in front of their eyes. It was already too late the second the blade had pierced the copy navi’s body.</p><p>  “<em>No</em>!” Copy Rockman cried.</p><p>  Copy Blues’ body became blurry and unfocused as his data turned into pixels. He was upright, his only support the blade through his chest. Somehow he managed to raise his head. “Run,” he rasped. “Go!”</p><p>  Copy Rockman shook his head and ran up to the mortally wounded navi. “We won’t leave you!” he cried.</p><p>  Copy Blues rested a hand on Rockman’s chest, touching the Hikari symbol centered there. Then his body exploded in a shower of fading pixels.</p><p>  “Blues—” Netto choked.</p><p>  Copy Rockman remained frozen, his eyes unseeing. He didn’t move when the defense program swung its sword to bring it down on the copy navi’s head.</p><p>  “<em>Rockman!</em>” Enzan yelled.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. An Angel Without Wings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  The blade swung down, but the only thing it pierced was the grid-like ground. A second later, the wind was knocked out of Enzan as a strong arm encircled his waist and lifted him off the ground. The world whirled before his eyes, making him see spots, and it took him a few minutes to figure out he was being held by Blues. He looked around frantically and, to his relief, spotted Copy Rockman being carried over Blues’ shoulder.</p><p>  A second later the world stopped spinning, but it took Enzan awhile to focus on anything. He could see Netto being carried in Rockman’s arms, and as Blues gently set his operator down on his knees, he noticed the area they were in looked different—although it sported the same patterned ground, making it hard to tell.</p><p>  “Are you all right, Enzan-sama?” Blues asked, kneeling down next to him to set Copy Rockman on the ground. The copy navi moved sluggishly, like he was in shock.</p><p>  “I’m fine, thanks to you,” Enzan replied. He nodded his head toward Copy Rockman. “Thank you for saving him.”</p><p>  “You obviously think highly of him,” Blues replied, standing up. “I didn’t want you to be sad.”</p><p>  At those words, Blues couldn’t help but glance at Netto. Enzan, pity and sorrow forming within him, watched the tears stream down Netto’s face, even though the younger net-battler did not cry out. Rockman was crouched next to him with his arm around his operator’s shoulders.</p><p>  “Copy Rockman, are you all right?” Enzan asked, turning his attention to the copy navi.</p><p>  Copy Rockman was sitting on the ground, his head bowed. He looked up, tears spilling out of his eyes. “Blues took care of me, like an older brother,” he whispered. “No matter what, he always tried to be there. What am I going to do without him?”</p><p>  “I’m so sorry,” Enzan replied softly, unable to think of something better to say. He leaned forward and placed his hands on the shaking navi’s shoulders. “I know it hurts, but we have to keep going. I don’t want to lose you too.”</p><p>  Nodding, Copy Rockman got to his feet and helped Enzan up. The Copy Navi looked at Blues through his visor, and nodded once, silently thanking the tall navi. Blues did not acknowledge it, instead turning his attention to Rockman and Netto.</p><p>  “Without Copy Blues,” Blues said heavily. “We don’t know the way. We’re lost.”</p><p>  Rockman helped Netto to his feet and stared at Blues. “Isn’t there anyway we can find it on our own?”</p><p>  “There is.”</p><p>  Enzan turned in surprise to see Copy Rockman watching them, his gaze steady and unwavering. There was something wrong with his eyes; a look that Enzan didn’t recognize.</p><p>  “Are you okay?” he asked.</p><p>  Copy Rockman looked at him, and Enzan noticed for the first time that the symbol on the Copy Navi’s chest seemed to be glowing slightly. “I know the way,” he said. “You can follow me.”</p><p>  “How?” Blues asked skeptically. “How do you know?”</p><p>  “I’m not sure,” Copy Rockman cocked his head, and Enzan noticed that his eyes seemed to be glowing slightly. “I think he told me somehow, before he was deleted.”</p><p>  “We might as well,” Rockman admitted. Blues reluctantly nodded, and they began moving again, Copy Rockman in the lead.</p><p>  “Is he all right?” Enzan asked quietly, mostly to himself.</p><p>  “He’s received a data transfer,” Blues replied from his position behind Enzan. “Copy Blues must have tried to transfer the information before he was deleted, but I think Copy Rockman got a lot more data than just the location of our exit. That usually requires additional equipment and an operator programming it, but it’s the only explanation.”</p><p>  “How much data did he get?” Enzan stared at the copy navi’s back with apprehension, wondering what the result would be.</p><p>  “Hard to tell,” Blues said. “He could have anything from parts of Copy Blues’ personality to half of his frame, stored compactly somewhere within him.”</p><p>  “Will he be okay?” Enzan asked, worried.</p><p>  “He should be fine, with time,” Blues replied. He looked at Enzan silently for a moment. “There is a way he can come with us. He could easily use either me or Rockman as an anchor to transfer his data from the Net World to another system.”</p><p>  “You would do that?” Enzan stared at Blues.</p><p>  His navi nodded. “If it’s what you want.”</p><p>  Behind them, Netto wiped his eyes, keeping his head down to disguise the motion.</p><p>  “Netto-kun, I…” Rockman trailed off, unable to comfort his operator.</p><p>  “Rockman, I know you mean well, and I know you care about me,” Netto said softly. “But could you stop calling me that for a while? Blues used to call me that…”</p><p>  “I understand,” Rockman said sadly.</p><p>  Copy Rockman stopped. “This is it,” he said. “The shortcut is hidden here. It was a way out in case of emergencies.”</p><p>  Blues looked around, but his scanner could pick up nothing. “Where?”</p><p>  Suddenly the grid pattern of the ground began to grow darker, the lines fading into a spreading blackness. The light around and above them faded and died, leaving them in a dim, black space.</p><p>
  <strong>  You won’t get out. I won’t let you leave!</strong>
</p><p>  “You’ve lost,” Copy Rockman replied calmly. “Let them go. Keeping them here to die will do you nothing now.”</p><p>
  <strong>  I won’t! I won’t let them go! If I have to die, so do they! It won’t be long now…</strong>
</p><p>  A rumbling sound was heard, and the ground began to quake slightly.</p><p>  “It’s destroying the data that holds this place together!” Blues yelled.</p><p>  “So it comes to this,” Copy Rockman whispered. “He was always protecting me, even in the end.”</p><p>  Enzan looked at him. “What are you talking about?” he asked.</p><p>  Copy Rockman smiled at him sadly, and Enzan realized the navi had begun to glow. “I’m sorry, Enzan-sama,” he said. “I really wanted to stay with you. You mean so much to me, and I’m glad that I met you.”</p><p>  He held out his arm to thin air. Slowly, to Enzan’s astonishment, it began to stretch and thin, glowing brighter with every passing moment. Copy Rockman held his other arm up, and it went through the same process. His arms lost their shape and form and became bright columns of swirling light, moving smoothly to form a large circle. It glowed and flickered with a soft, white light, like a mythical gate created by ancient gods.</p><p>  “What the…” Netto couldn’t find words as his awe overcame him.</p><p>  “That’s the way out?” Blues asked. Even his voice contained a hushed tone.</p><p>  “This opening will lead you to wherever you belong,” Copy Rockman said. “For Netto and Enzan, it will cause the Net World to retreat from their minds and allow them to wake up, back in their real bodies. For you, it will either transport you to your PETs or a safe, unrelated system. Maybe to some place in the Internet that Immersion hates so much. But you have to move quickly! There’s no time left.”</p><p>  Rockman nodded. “Thank you,” he said fervently. He turned to Netto and gestured, and the young net-battler approached the glowing portal cautiously. His fingers reached out to brush the light, and in that instant he vanished. Rockman confidently strode toward it, but he vanished in a similar way the second his toe touched the gate.</p><p>  “You’re not coming with us,” Enzan realized.</p><p>  “I can’t do that and maintain the gate at the same time,” Copy Rockman explained softly. “Bl—Copy Blues had that planned all along, but he never made it far enough to fulfill it.”</p><p>   “He knew this would be the death of him, and he walked willingly toward it anyway,” Blues said softly, placing a hand on Enzan’s shoulder. “This small area is crumbling fast, Enzan-sama. We have to leave.”</p><p>  Enzan walked silently toward the gate, Blues’ hand still resting on his shoulder. “Blues,” he said suddenly, stopping before he touched the glowing mass. “Thank you.”</p><p>  “For what?” Blues asked.</p><p>  Enzan grabbed Blues’ hand and shoved it at the portal before the navi could react. “For everything,” he said to thin air. “Rockman,” he whispered, turning toward the copy navi. “There has to be some other way.”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, my data is a part of the Net World,” Copy Rockman said, smiling. A tear slid down his cheek. “I couldn’t leave even if I wanted to.”</p><p>  “No…” Enzan reached out to the navi. “Please… there has to be a way.”</p><p>  Copy Rockman pulled one arm out of the gate, watching it solidify into his normal arm. He reached out and pressed his hand against Enzan’s, sliding his fingers around to create a firm grasp on Enzan’s hand.</p><p>  “You’re my friend,” Enzan said desperately. “I can’t leave you to die.”</p><p>  “And you’re my angel without wings, Enzan-sama,” Rockman replied. “I can’t let you die for me.” His hand began to glow.</p><p>  “No!” Enzan cried. He watched as Rockman’s fingers blurred. It was the last thing he saw.</p><p># # #</p><p>  When Netto opened his eyes, it was very bright and confusing. There were a lot of people standing around, most of whom he didn’t know. They all seemed very glad to see him, which was strange, because he didn’t know him.</p><p>  “You’re alive!” a pink-haired woman exclaimed. She pointed a finger at a blonde man standing next to her. “You owe me ten thousand yen!”</p><p>  “Are you feeling all right?” another man approached him. He was wearing a mask that oddly resembled a fish. Netto could only stare at him in confusion.</p><p>  “Does he look dead?” another masculine voice chimed in. “No? Then he’s alive and kicking. Elec, you owe me ten thousand yen too.”</p><p>  “Oh my God!”</p><p>  Netto sat up, feeling weak. His muscles acted like they were made of jelly, and the fish-head man had to support him. “Hino Ken?” he said weakly, spotting the redhead. “You’re alive!”</p><p>  Hino Ken crossed his arms. “I’m not so easy to defeat, Hikari Netto.”</p><p>  Netto blinked very slowly. “So it’s true,” he replied softly.</p><p>  “Your real memories should return within a few hours,” fish-head man assured him. “You’re pretty weak, though, like the rest of them. We’re going to move you to a hospital so you can fully recover. Oh, and by the way,” he added, digging through his pocket. “I think this belongs to you.”</p><p>  “Netto-k—Netto, are you feeling all right?” Rockman asked worriedly, staring at Netto through the confines of his PET.</p><p>  Netto smiled. “I will be, they’re telling me.”</p><p>  “Commander Beef!” another woman, this one green-haired, ran into the room, a red PET in her hand. “The Net World has crashed!”</p><p>  “Any effects to the Internet?” the fish man asked.</p><p>  Netto wondered how anyone could get the name Beef from a man in a fish costume, but the woman’s next words distracted him.</p><p>  “None so far, but that’s not the problem,” the woman said grimly. She held out the PET to Commander Beef almost hesitantly. “We’re not sure… if Enzan made it out.”</p><p>  “What?” Netto cried. “But he was right behind me!”</p><p>  Beef looked at the PET, panic and fear forming a cold ball in his stomach. The navi it contained was nowhere in sight, and Beef heaved a sigh. He couldn’t blame Blues for not wanting to face anyone.</p><p>  Across the room, another man was panicking. Ijuuin stroked his son’s face, pushing aside wires and tubes. “He’s not waking up!” he said in a trembling voice. “Why isn’t my son <em>waking up</em>?”</p><p>  Miyuki came up silently behind Ijuuin and examined the machinery attached to the young boy closely. “According to this, he was separated before the crash. However, it was very close.”</p><p>  “That doesn’t explain why my son isn’t waking up!” Ijuuin snapped.</p><p>  Beef walked over and stared down at Enzan for a long moment. “Unhook him from the machines,” he said sharply. “And someone call an ambulance <em>now</em>.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  The Net World collapsed and crumbled, self-destructing under its own power. Soon nothing was left but darkness. The machines that ran it had all shut down, some overloading and exploding.</p><p>  The small navi sobbed. He hated being alone, especially in this dark. He wasn’t programmed to deal with this kind of thing, his fear overwhelming. He curled up into a ball, trying desperately to comfort himself. His operator had to come soon, or else he would truly be lost.</p><p>  A figure appeared in the distance, limping slightly. Its arms were gone, with only stubbs. Its face was in bad shape, legs pixelating on the edges, but somehow, it could still walk. It approached the sobbing navi and crouched down, careful not to lose its balance.</p><p>  “What’s wrong?” it asked.</p><p>  “I-I’m lost!” the small navi cried. “I d-don’t know w-where I am and I-I can’t find Yuuhi-chan, m-my operator. I’m s-scared, really, r-really scared.”</p><p>  “It’s okay, it’ll be over soon,” the figure said gently. “What’s your name?”</p><p>  The small navi looked up, his eyes black and empty. “Copy,” he said. “Copy.EXE.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. No Side</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Enzan slowly opened his eyes. He found himself staring at the ceiling of an ordinary building, and for a moment wondered why he wasn’t looking at a grid-pattern. He slowly tilted his head, studying the room he was in.</p><p>  He quickly made a face as his surroundings registered with his brain. He was in a hospital room. <em>Again</em>. Maybe he had dreamed the last part of his experience, and he was still Hikari Enzan. Maybe Miyuki did shoot him, and he was somehow alive. After being shot. And falling off a building.</p><p>  Enzan closed his eyes and groaned. Every time he had figured something out, something else came along to make it more complicated. Maybe Rockman would—</p><p>  No, Rockman was gone. That much he remembered. Suddenly he wished very much that it had all been a dream, and he was still Hikari Enzan. Rockman wasn’t dead, Blues hadn’t been stabbed right before his eyes, and they both weren’t mere copies of real navis. Everything would be all right. Everything was okay…</p><p>
  <em>  Damn.</em>
</p><p>  His own relentless logic quickly shattered his illusions. It had all been real.</p><p>  Enzan opened his eyes again and looked around some more. There was a table beside his bed. For some odd reason, it was covered with flowers and cards… and there was something red on the edge of the table. His heart jumping in his chest, Enzan reached out to grab it—or tried to do so. His arm ached with shooting pains when he tried to move it, and once he finally did pull it out from under the covers, he found to his horror it was extremely pale and sickly-looking. He could see his blue veins underneath the skin and almost felt sick.</p><p>  The red object caught his eye again, taunting him, and he forced himself to reach out and grab it. Once he did, he almost dropped it. His arm had no strength in it at all. He managed to prop it on his stomach, one of his pale fingers shakily pressing a button to activate the PET. On the small screen, blue-colored windows sailed back and forth, and in the corner of the screen, a swirl of data formed into the figure of Blues.</p><p>  “Enzan-sama,” he said. His flat, almost emotionless voice sounded like angels singing to his operator.</p><p>  “Blues,” Enzan whispered, his voice hoarse. “I’m so glad to see you.”</p><p>  Blues didn’t answer for a moment. “Why did you do that to me?” he asked finally.</p><p>  Enzan knew he was referring to what he had done in the Net World, forcing Blues to go first through the gate. “I had to try and convince him, even if it was hopeless,” he said softly. “That and… I didn’t want to risk losing you. As long as I saw you go first, I knew you’d be safe.”</p><p>  “That’s foolish,” Blues scolded. Then his expression melted into his usual mask. “I didn’t mean…”</p><p>  “No, you’re right, it was,” Enzan admitted. He smiled. “I don’t ever want to lose you again.”</p><p>  Blues thought that over silently.</p><p>  The door swung open, and a nurse walked in, a tray in her hands. She stopped dead when she saw Enzan. “You… you were in a coma!” she exclaimed.</p><p>  “Was I?” Enzan asked, confused.</p><p>  “For two full weeks,” Blues informed him.</p><p>  “I gotta… you…” The nurse let out a small shriek and whirled, running out of the room. “Ijuuin-san! Ijuuin-san! Your son is awake! He’s awake!”</p><p># # #</p><p>  The room was very large and spacious, but for once, there were plenty of people to fill that space up. Some of them, Saloma felt, probably shouldn’t be there. They had played a small part, if not any part at all, in the past events. Yet they had a right to know, Commander Beef had insisted. They were involved, even if it was indirectly. She doubted they would understand everything, but maybe Beef had a point. Miyuki, in any event, hadn’t complained about it, and Saloma felt it would be wrong of her to do so.</p><p>  Three weeks had passed since the fall of Immersion. They had been designated by the press and authorities as a “net mafia,” although they their most damaging endeavor had little effect on the Internet. All of the major figures in the group had been arrested and awaited trail, and it wasn’t long before everyone involved, even the ignorant workers, had been rounded up.</p><p>  As for everyone Immersion’s doings had affected, they were all gathered in the Net Agent’s meeting room. Her gaze drifted over the room, taking account of who was there. Meiru sat between her parents, talking excitedly to Yaito and her father across the table. Dekao was listening to his brother’s happy jabbering, while his mother kept a strong grip on her youngest son’s shoulder. Hikawa Seiji was speaking to Yaito’s father, one arm around Tohru’s shoulders. Higure Yamitaro was talking to the children’s teacher, Mariko-sensei, while Midorikawa Kero looked around the room excitedly, scribbling on a notepad. She was probably, Saloma thought dryly, writing a story on it, being the reporter that she was. The green-haired girl resolved to talk to the woman afterward about keeping certain details private.</p><p>  Hikari Netto sat between his parents as well, absorbed in a conversation with his father and his navi. Once Netto had regained his memories completely, he was delighted to be reunited with his navi again, although he seemed to have an aura of sadness about him. Commander Beef had talked to him about the last few events in the Net World, but Netto was strangely quiet about it. Occasionally, Hikari Haruka would reach over and give her son’s shoulder a squeeze, as if to make sure he wouldn’t disappear.</p><p>  Sitting in a far corner where the members of World Three. Madoi and Elec were arguing loudly about something, while Mahajarama sat with his eyes closed and his arms crossed serenely in front of him, pretending to ignore his companions. Saloma grinned. When they were teamed up briefly, she had grown used to their antics and bickering and almost missed it when they went back to their curry restaurant. When they weren’t busy being evil or trying to cause havoc, they weren’t bad people.</p><p>  Saloma blinked and shook her head. Did she actually just have a nice thought about the members of World Three? No, that was impossible. She wasn’t getting enough sleep at nights, that’s all it was.</p><p>  Hino Ken was standing near Commander Beef. He had a part to play in what they were about to present. To Saloma’s surprise when she glanced his way, he was deeply in conversation with Miyuki. Now that was strange, and interesting too. Saloma made another note to ask Miyuki what had occurred between them when they were locked in that back room together. Probably nothing… but it never hurt to ask.</p><p>  The last person to catch her eye was Ijuuin Enzan and his father. Unlike the others, he wasn’t considered fully recovered, and still had to get around in a wheelchair. He looked healthier now than he did when he was in a coma, but his skin was still extremely pale, suffering from lack of sunlight. His gaze was fixed on the PET in his hands, as it had been since he entered the room. The doctors had assured the Net Agents that there wasn’t anything wrong with the boy, physically. Saloma only had to wonder if he was healthy in the mental department. Ijuuin the senior stood behind his wheelchair, scanning the room with his icy gaze.</p><p>  “Ahem.” Commander Beef finally moved to stand at the head of the table, waiting until all noise had died down. He waited a little longer than necessary, Saloma thought, enjoying having all eyes on him.</p><p>  “I’m betting you’re wondering why I all called you here.”</p><p>  That was met with groans from the Netto and his friends, and a rude hooting sound from Count Elec.</p><p>  “Get on with it, man!” Elec shouted.</p><p>  “Quiet down!” Hino Ken yelled back. “Let the man speak, even if he is an old blowhard.”</p><p>  Beef glared at the red-haired man. “Thank you. However, I do not require you standing up for me ever again.”</p><p>  Hino Ken grinned. “No problem.”</p><p>  “Hey, why are they here to begin with?” Netto cried, pointing a finger at World Three. “They’re the bad guys!”</p><p>  Madoi stuck her tongue out at the boy. Elec tried to flip him off, but Mahajarama stopped him.</p><p>  “They aren’t the bad guys in this case,” Beef said firmly. “And they had a large part in it. They have every right to be here, Netto, just the same as you do.”</p><p>  Netto frowned and crossed his arms. “Hrmph.”</p><p>  “All right,” Saloma said, interrupting. “You all know why we’re here. Immersion and their Net World had affected us all, and we believe you all deserve to know the full story behind it. It’s a long one, though, so we please ask for your patience and quiet until we are done. Feel free then to ask questions, but please don’t try to interrupt.”</p><p>  “Thank you, Saloma,” Commander Beef said after a moment, both grateful at her for calming them down and peeved he wasn’t able to do it himself. “And actually, we’d like Ijuuin-san to start this story for us. His actions a year ago inadvertently caused some of this, although he is not to blame.”</p><p>  Ijuuin walked toward the front of the room without a backwards glance at his son. Saloma frowned. Ijuuin did not act like a father; in fact, it was hard to believe he was one at all. Enzan’s slight resemblance to his father only made it harder to believe their relation.</p><p>  “A year ago, I had a meeting with my board members and top executives of my company,” he began. “We had been without a vice president for some time, and I finally found someone competent enough to take the job; my son, Enzan.”</p><p>  Enzan slowly raised his head to look at his father, but reminded silent. <em>Competent?</em> he repeated mentally. <em>More like you were desperate.</em></p><p>  “However, several people in my company did not agree with my decision,” Ijuuin continued. “When I made it clear that it was final, the bitter ones who thought they should have gotten the position resigned from the company. One of them was Watanabe Yuuhi, the main protagonist of Immersion.”</p><p>  “The prota-wha?” Netto whispered.</p><p>  “The ring leader,” his father replied in a low tone.</p><p>  “They set themselves up in positions in other companies to try and undermine IPC,” Ijuuin said. “When that didn’t work, one of them happened to stumble upon a small, struggling virtual reality group called Immersion. That’s where my part ends, for now.” He nodded at Beef and walked back to his son.</p><p>  “And where our part begins,” the Net Agent said, picking up the story. “Immersion’s theories were pure in the beginning; they sought to make the perfect virtual reality program that would change the world. However, they had no way of making that project, and in desperation turned to net crime to help fund what little they had.”</p><p>  Saloma nodded. “That put them on our watch list, but since they were so small and their crimes too miniscule, we never followed up on them. There’s so much we have to keep track of, and the likes of Immersion weren’t worth our time. Or so we thought,” she added grimly.</p><p>  “Immersion grew more desperate over time,” Beef continued. “Until they heard of a project, a secret project that the Science Labs were working on. We think by this time Watanabe and her group had joined them, and together, they made plans to steal the project.”</p><p>  “The project?” Midorikawa interrupted, frowning. “What project was that?”</p><p>  Dr. Hikari stood up from his chair. “Well, it’s not much of a secret any longer,” he admitted. “So I might as well tell you. You all were subject in something that was the direct result of our project—the Net World. We were working on a way to project the human consciousness into the Internet in a form similar to a navi. In theory, if we could do that, we could have also found ways to treat disorders we can’t do in the physical world. If we could separate the mind from the body and work remotely, the possibilities to help an individual without harming them was tremendous.”</p><p>  He paused. “To make a long story short, we had tried projecting the mind into a computer system, just like a navi, with no results. So instead of projecting the mind outward, we started working on ways to project the system into the mind.”</p><p>  “Into the mind?” Hikawa Seiji said with surprise. “You mean like sending a navi into a system?”</p><p>  “Sort of,” Dr. Hikari answered. “More like bringing the system to the navi. However, that was found to be even more complicated than projecting the mind out. It was dangerous to try without first guaranteeing that the system, once inside the mind, wouldn’t take the mind with it once it left. And we ran into another problem, one that even Immersion never figured out how to fix, if they even bothered to go that far. We couldn’t connect the mind to something like the Internet. It had to be a single system, or else the connection would just refuse to be made. Because each part of the system had to be projected into the mind, something as huge as the Internet was impossible to conquer.”</p><p>  “I’m not sure I understand,” Dekao’s father admitted, frowning.</p><p>  “Let me see if I can explain.” Dr. Hikari paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. “The Net World operated by embedding itself into an individual’s subconscious. From there, it transferred enough data to drag the conscious mind into its fabricated world. Then it linked itself to another mind, and another, and another. Soon it had you all connected, like a mainframe and its servers.</p><p>  “However, the Net World couldn’t take one person’s consciousness, and transport it to someone else’s mind to make them interact. Our research showed that to be impossible, but Immersion figured out something we didn’t. They didn’t have to remove someone from their own mind in order to make them connect with others in the Net World. By creating a link large enough, they were able to bring contact between those in the Net World without crossing them over.”</p><p>  “Huh?” Netto said after a moment of silence.</p><p>  “Think of it like animals in cages.”</p><p>  Everyone at the table wiped their heads around and stared in surprise at the speaker. Enzan stared back at them, unblinking.</p><p>  “If you have many animals in large, separate cages, they can’t come in contact with one another, even if there was something linking them—say, a path from one to the other,” Enzan continued. “The animals in the cages cannot interact with each other, and you can’t just transfer them to another cage to cause interaction. So what the Net World did, in this example, was to bring the cages so close that they were touching each other. The inhabitants were kept separate, but they were now close enough to interact with each other. So if the animals were your mental selves, and the cage was the confines of your brain, all the Net World did was make the connection so close that you could feel, see, and hear the other person, even if you were in separate bodies.”</p><p>  “That’s very close to it,” Dr. Hikari said. “Because of the Net World’s illusions, you thought you were all in one world together—but your minds were in completely separate places. You could interact, touch and feel, but that was all part of the influence the Net World had. None of the contact was real.”</p><p>  “I still don’t get it,” Madoi complained.</p><p>  “At this point, I don’t think you ever will,” Mahajarama said quietly. “It’s a complicated process to think about, no matter how much it is simplified. What matters is that the Net World did not take them from their bodies and put them in a system like navis; the Net World invaded their bodies and operated the illusion from within. That’s how they were able to be so successful—they manipulated the mind to fool itself.”</p><p>  “Exactly,” Dr. Hikari nodded.</p><p>  “This is very fascinating, but what happened with Immersion?” Yaito’s father asked.</p><p>  “They somehow stole our basic research without us ever finding out,” Dr. Hikari said grimly.</p><p>  “While we had been busy not taking them seriously, they figured out how to hack into systems without being detected,” Miyuki said, speaking up for the first time. “We suspect now that it was done by Watanabe’s navi.”</p><p>  Dr. Hikari frowned. “Sorry to interrupt again, but something has been bothering me. How did they create a system intelligent enough to control multiple minds at once, and was self-aware? We could never figure that part out.”</p><p>  “Simply because they used something that would horrify you to even think of,” Beef said grimly. “Apparently, Watanabe’s navi had an ability she programmed herself—the ability to take on the shape and form of any other navi. It could even copy the data, making it identical. That’s how it got in and out of the Science Labs without being detected. This ability of the navi to adapt gave them an idea.”</p><p>  “No,” Dr. Hikari breathed, looking horrified. “You don’t mean…”</p><p>  Beef nodded. “They used the poor navi as their central consciousness of the Net World. The poor thing, which didn’t have much mental capability to begin with, was twisted into something evil and possibly insane by the process.”</p><p>  “That’s horrible!” Yaito cried. “Navis aren’t meant to do things like run entire systems! Their data would have to be completely warped to do something like that.”</p><p>  “And so it was,” Beef replied. “And it worked. The navi became the Net World, body and soul. And that was how the Net World worked—it was run by a sentient mind.”</p><p>  “Yes, yes, yes, this is interesting, but back to the story!” Madoi cried.</p><p>  Beef cleared his throat. “Anyway, now that they had discovered the system, they could make a profit off of it. But some of them weren’t satisfied with that, Watanabe included. They wanted more. They wanted to destroy the thing that nearly destroyed them, the Internet, and more importantly, gain revenge.”</p><p>  “So they began by attacking places in the Internet, like the Science Labs and the Cossack Lab,” Saloma said. “While we were busy with that, they began collecting their victims for the Net World, starting with the one most dangerous to them, Dr. Hikari. Before we had caught on, they had gotten almost everyone they wanted. We tried to protect those we thought would be potential targets, but again, they got more people, people we wouldn’t even dream of being involved. We didn’t even think the families were in danger until they took most of the Oyama family, save Chisao.”</p><p>  “But why?” Haruka asked. “Why were we made to live out that false life? Why did they go to such ends to do that?”</p><p>  “They had several reasons,” Beef said. “To power the Net World, they programmed it to feed off the emotions of those trapped inside—they made your life miserable, Hikari-<em>san</em>, to do just that, and they made Dr. Hikari a drunk so his sharp mind would never suspect the truth. They got a lot of power from those emotions, making them pick the N1 Grand Prix as an ideal time because of the high tension involved. But still, that wasn’t enough power to satisfy them.”</p><p>  “Indeed,” Hino Ken said, cutting in. “The attacks on the Internet were a disguise to hide the links they placed there, links that would carry the power the Net World generated to overwhelm and destroy everything. But, because they needed something to create massive power surge and for revenge, they decided to kill Ijuuin Enzan.”</p><p>  “But I thought the Net World wasn’t real,” Tohru protested. “How could they kill him?”</p><p>  “In that aspect, the Net World was very real,” Hino Ken replied. “Because it intruded into the mind, whatever happened in it sent shockwaves throughout the brain. A person, thinking he or she had died in the Net World, would die in the real would. The brain would think it was dead, and literally shut down on its own, no matter the health of the person. It’s like being hypnotized, only much, much stronger.”</p><p>  “And in order to accomplish this, they created the prime subject to begin with,” Beef announced. “Hikari Netto, you were the subject they watched so carefully. It was because of your involvement in the Net World that everything happened the way it did.”</p><p>  Enzan jerked, and wondered for a moment if he had gone into shock. <em>It was all about Hikari? </em>he thought with disbelief. <em>Then why do all that to me? Just for fun?</em></p><p>  Miyuki looked straight at him. “In order to create the Final Scenario, the death of ‘Hikari Enzan,’ they changed things around,” she said. “To keep Dr. Hikari busy, they made him a drunk. To manipulate your death, Enzan, they made you an evil, twisted monster. They needed to have Netto kill you in order to create the surge. The power behind the emotions that would bring—it would destroy everything.”</p><p>  “No way!” Netto slammed his fist down on the table and stood up. “No way would I kill Enzan, or anyone for that matter!”</p><p>  “Apparently, Immersion believed they could manipulate you into doing it,” Hino Ken said. “And having faced the power of the Net World myself, I believe they were right.”</p><p>  “But…” Netto trailed off, looking back at Enzan. The boy seemed paler than usual, and looked as if he were going to be sick.</p><p>  <em>He saved my life!</em> Netto’s mind screamed at him. <em>He saved my life, and I was supposed to kill him?</em></p><p>  “We tried our best to foil them,” Beef said grimly. “We sent Miyuki in as a spy, and when she was captured, Hino Ken agreed to be a subject in the Net World. After I showed him their plans, he knew he had no choice. Of course, I had to make an agreement with him to keep the rest of World Three safe at all costs…”</p><p> “Hey!” Hino Ken snapped. “I told you not to mention that, fish man!”</p><p>  “Hino Ken went into the Net World to protect us?” Elec said, unable to believe it.</p><p>  “Wow,” was all Madoi could say.</p><p>  “I knew it,” Mahajarama said simply. “He would have never done it for any other reason.”</p><p>  Hino Ken turned a shade of red that was slightly lighter than his hair and slunk back into the shadows. Now his comrades would never let him hear the end of his ‘valiant sacrifice’ to save their tails. He thought about stabbing Beef now, but decided he was outnumbered, and fumed silently instead.</p><p>  “But eventually they caught on to Hino Ken, but not before he made a very important discovery,” Beef added quickly, ignoring Hino Ken’s glare of impending death.</p><p>  “He found out that I was not who I was supposed to be,” Enzan said. His face had returned to its original color, pale that color was, but he was still shaky inside. “He found out that I remembered I was Ijuuin Enzan.”</p><p>  “And that nearly got you killed too,” Hino Ken snapped, changing focus from Beef to the boy. “I warned you not to tell anyone, and what do you do? You call a meeting and told every creature in existence! You were lucky that didn’t get you killed right there and then!”</p><p>  “Actually, that probably saved his life,” Miyuki said dully. “By trying to reveal the truth, he forced the Net World to do something drastic and change its plans. Once Netto believed him, the Net World couldn’t make him kill Enzan anymore. His free will would fight it to the end.”</p><p>  “But why did Enzan know who he was, but nobody else did?” Meiru asked.</p><p>  “As far as we can figure it, the Net World made a mistake,” Beef said. “It was too busy focusing on the programming to keep Netto on track that it simply couldn’t control the complex programming that was to change Enzan. It certainly tried, but for some reason, the programming never took, and the Net World never found out until Enzan got its attention.”</p><p>  “A mistake?” Enzan repeated, unable to believe his ears.</p><p>  “The Net World was beautifully made, but Immersion expected too much of it,” Dr. Hikari said. “Just like the Net Agents and their comrades found that they couldn’t see what was happening in the Net World when their navis entered it, neither could the Net World see everything that happened. It was so busy running the systems, it couldn’t pay attention to what was being said or done.”</p><p>  “However, Immersion was keeping a careful eye on Hino Ken, and it noticed when Enzan did things he wasn’t supposed to,” Saloma said. “But it never connected the dots. It created two men to beat Enzan up, deciding he was acting too strangely to take part in what was going on for some time, but after that, it left him alone. It was too busy, again, focusing on Hino Ken.”</p><p>  “So, you’re saying that my son’s knowledge of his true life was just a fluke,” Ijuuin said bluntly.</p><p>  “Well, in technical terms… yes,” Beef admitted.</p><p><em>  A fluke… a mistake… of course</em>, Enzan thought bitterly. <em>Isn’t that what I’ve been all my life?</em></p><p>  Something deep inside him snapped. Enzan’s head sagged, but no one was paying attention to see it.</p><p>  “However, because of that, we had an edge,” Saloma said. “We managed to get our navis into the Net World and everyone out safe before it collapsed.”</p><p>  “Almost everyone,” Netto muttered under his breath, staring down at his hands sadly. He still had nightmares of seeing Copy Blues impaled on a sword. His father and Commander Beef noticed the sudden change and exchanged looks.</p><p>  “So that’s it, huh?” Elec asked. “That’s the finale of the great Immersion crisis?”</p><p>  “Pretty much,” Saloma replied. “With those responsible in jail, the Net World destroyed, and everyone safe and sound, we can pretty much say it’s over.”</p><p><em>  Not yet</em>, Dr. Hikari thought sadly, looking from his depressed son to Enzan. The white-topped boy was staring down at his PET again, his face expressionless. <em>Not for them. Maybe it never will be.</em></p><p>  “I just have one small question,” Dekao asked. “Why did we have to go through that portal thing one at a time?”</p><p>  “The portal did not represent you leaving the Net World,” Miyuki explained. “Rather, it represented the Net World leaving your mind. Once the Net World had released its hold on you, which you initiated by going through the portal, we could safely unplug you from the machines that bound you to the Net World. Two people leaving at once, even if they were navis, would have overloaded the system and destroyed the minds of those still trapped.”</p><p>  Dekao shuddered. “Yeah, thanks for telling me that now,” he muttered.</p><p>  “Man,” Tohru said, shivering a bit. “I hate to think of being strapped to all those machines, with tubes and needles sticking out all over the place.”</p><p>  “Fortunately, they hired a shifty doctor to ensure you stayed alive,” Saloma said sympathetically.</p><p>  “Unfortunately, I’m not sure all these scars will heal,” Miyuki said. “They had some nerve, cutting us open and shoving needles into us while we were helpless. At least the feeding tube was thoughtful.”</p><p>  “I think I’m going to be sick,” Yaito declared dramatically.</p><p>  “Say, we and the Net Agents make quite a team,” Elec observed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully and turning toward his fellow members of World Three.</p><p>  “Don’t even think about it,” Madoi warned.</p><p>  “I dunno, him and that creepy psychic—nya!” Elec choked.</p><p>  “Unless you want to be dead where you stand, I suggest you hold your tongue,” Mahajarama said, releasing Elec’s tongue from between his forefinger and his index finger. “Our red-haired friend is not known for his tolerance.”</p><p>  “T-True…” Elec said, looking unnerved. People who thought <em>he</em> was crazy had obviously never spent five minutes alone with Mahajarama. You came out of the experience a changed man, but not necessarily a better one. It all depended on the man’s mood.</p><p>  “I declare this meeting over,” Beef announced, seeing some people shifting in their seats. “I thank you all for your cooperation and am glad you’re safe. Hopefully, this will never happen again.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. The Boy Who Knows Nothing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>  “Let the chip go</em>. <em>It’s not worth your life.”</em></p><p>  Enzan stirred and tried to open his eyes. That voice… he had heard it before.</p><p>
  <em>  “It’s not worth your life…”</em>
</p><p>  “Blues!” Enzan woke with a gasp. That voice, the one that had told him to let go of the Dream Aura when those thugs had been trying to steal it in the Net World had been the voice of Blues!</p><p>  He glanced at his desk across the room, where Blues’ PET lay in its charger. But Blues had not been anywhere near the Net World when the incident happened. So how…?</p><p>  Enzan laid back down. It was three in the morning, and he hadn’t closed his eyes once. Now he tried again, using techniques he had learned through his business dealings to control his breathing, making it slower, more restful.</p><p>
  <em>  “Blues took care of me, like an older brother. No matter what, he always tried to be there…”</em>
</p><p>  “Copy Rockman…” he mumbled, turning to his side. Every night, the memories of the copy navis, among other things, came back to haunt him.</p><p>  <em>Was it Copy Blues who warned me to let go of the chip? </em>he wondered. <em>Did he do it for Rockman?</em></p><p>  The blank ceiling gave him no answer, and Enzan heaved a sigh. Someone who was nothing more than a ghost haunting his memory had saved him. He regretted not being able to thank the copy navi. He regretted not thanking a lot of people who had helped him.</p><p>  He regretted being alive.</p><p>
  <em>  “You’re my angel,” Rockman said shyly. “You saved me.”</em>
</p><p>  Enzan moaned and clamped his hands over his ears, but that could not stop the voices in his head.</p><p>
  <em>  “The happiest day of my life was the day you were born, Enzan.”</em>
</p><p>  Enzan put his knuckles in his mouth and bit them, the sudden pain and taste of blood chasing the voices away. He missed Haruka, seeing her smile greeting him every day and hearing her cheerful voice. Hikari Netto may be thick-headed and immature… but he was happy. The fabricated Hikari Enzan may have been bitter and ungrateful, designed to do something so horrendous that it provoked Netto to kill him.</p><p>  But at least his fake self had been happy once.</p><p>
  <em>  “You apologize? That’s meaningless, coming from you. You have ruined everything since the day you were born, Enzan. If it weren’t for you, your mother would have lived! Will you apologize for that too?”</em>
</p><p>  “Father…” Enzan murmured, whimpering. His father was never proud of him. Ever since the day he was born, he had been nothing but a burden. He blinked, tears pouring freely from his face. He didn’t try to stop them.</p><p>  He no longer cared.</p><p>  From his PET, Blues watched his operator toss and turn. It had now been a full month since Enzan had come out of his coma, and two weeks since the meeting with Commander Beef and the Net Agents. Enzan’s body had healed slowly, painfully slowly, and even now he was still pale and thin.</p><p>  He had looked like a skeleton when he was put in the hospital. Immersion had only given him enough nourishment to keep him alive. The other young net-battlers nabbed by Immersion had soon gained their normal weight back, and their pale faces showed signs of being exposed to the sun again, but Enzan’s body had refused to do the same.</p><p>  Enzan himself hadn’t done much to encourage his healthy recovery. He never went outside, and despite his no longer needing a wheelchair to get around, he rarely even got out of bed. He picked at the food that was brought to him, refusing to eat unless Blues begged him to. He spent his days reading books—or so it appeared to the passerby, but Blues knew Enzan spent hours a day staring at the same page.</p><p>  Blues knew there was something wrong with his operator. It seemed like he had lost a piece of himself. And no one, not even the boy’s father, seemed to care. The servants treated Enzan as if he were acting like his normal self, and Ijuuin hadn’t been near the boy since the meeting with Commander Beef.</p><p>  Blues turned away from the sight of his operator, who was staring unblinking at the ceiling, unable to stand it anymore. He wasn’t going to sit there as Enzan slipped away from the world. If his operator’s father was going to sit in his office, pretending nothing was wrong, then it was time for Blues to do something.</p><p># # #</p><p>  The sound of the door opening did not grab his attention, nor did the noise of shuffling feet across the marble floor. What grabbed the IPC president’s attention was the complete silence that followed.</p><p>  Ijuuin looked up, and instantly regretted it. His son was staring at an unremarkable spot on the floor, his eyes dull and half-closed. Enzan’s red PET was clenched tightly in one hand, and Ijuuin wondered if that was the only thing his son still cared about.</p><p>  “Enzan?” He cursed himself at the weakness in his voice, the lack of confidence and power he usually retained. However, for the sake of the fragile state of mind his son was in, he had to use a gentler tone than he was used to.</p><p>  “Enzan, come here,” he said, trying to make the words sound friendly, but they came out commanding, as most of the words he shared with his son did.</p><p>  Enzan obeyed, making his way around the desk and to his father’s side, dragging his feet as if he did not have the energy to raise his legs any higher. Ijuuin took hold of Enzan’s arm as soon as he was close enough and pulled him closer. He wondered briefly if he should pry the device from his son’s hand, but the boy was holding it so tightly that his knuckles were white, and he quickly reconsidered the idea. The navi contained within the small, red machine was not visible on the screen, but Ijuuin had no doubt Blues.EXE was watching over his master as he always did, taking in everything that was happening, even if Enzan now could not do the same.</p><p>
  <em>  “Ijuuin-sama.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  He looked up, and to his annoyance saw that computer program his son was always touting around. “What are you doing on my private server? I have work to do!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  The navi bowed deeply. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Ijuuin-sama, but your son—”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “There’s nothing wrong with my son!” Ijuuin had roared, and he slammed his desk for emphasis. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “I have to disagree,” the navi—Blues.EXE, Ijuuin remembered dimly—replied coldly. “There is something very wrong with your son.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “How dare you?” Ijuuin hissed. “How dare you think you can tell me, a human being, what is or is not wrong with my son! I’ll have you deleted for this!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “Like you’ve had servants fired for whispering about Enzan-sama’s condition?” he replied.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  If Ijuuin hadn’t known better, he could have sworn there were traces of anger in the navi’s voice. “There is nothing wrong with my son,” he repeated, searching for a button on his keyboard that would banish Blues’ presence from his computer.</em>
</p><p><em>  “Ijuuin-sama, I’m not asking you to believe me,” Blues said. To Ijuuin’s shock, the tall navi got to his knees and bowed. “I’m </em>begging<em> you to believe me. Enzan-sama is dying in front of my eyes, and I am helpless to stop it. You’re his father, and the only one who can help him now.”</em></p><p>  Blues, Ijuuin knew, was a very reserved navi, and for him to go as far as to beg someone to help his operator meant that Enzan was in a very serious condition. He had agreed, wearily, and somehow the navi had coaxed the boy to see his father in the afternoon.</p><p>  “I wanted to show you something,” he said softly. He pulled out the book from its drawer and set it gently on his desk. “This… This is something that is very special to me. Do you know what it is?”</p><p>  Enzan didn’t answer, although his eyes were focused on the book.</p><p>  “It’s an album,” Ijuuin continued hurriedly, the silence making him uncomfortable. He opened the book to the first page, revealing a picture of a baby. “In it I keep all my pictures of you.”</p><p>  Enzan looked disinterested, and his father wondered despairingly if his son was even listening.</p><p>  “But I didn’t—I called you here because there was something special I wanted to show you.” Ijuuin shuffled through the book with one hand until he had reached the last page. “Look, Enzan.”</p><p>  Enzan looked. The woman in the picture smiled back at him. Her formal kimono and elaborate hairstyle suggested the picture should have been serious, but she was smiling. Enzan almost wanted to smile back.</p><p>  “That was your mother,” Ijuuin said softly.</p><p>  Enzan jerked backwards, reacting physically at last. He grew even paler as he stared at the picture, and his mouth moved, mouthing words he did not have the strength to voice.</p><p>  Ijuuin stared at his son. “Enzan, look at me,” he said softly. The boy made no move. “Look at me, damn it!” He grabbed Enzan by the chin and forced the boy to look up. “Your mother was a beautiful, wonderful woman. When she was pregnant with you, she was the happiest woman alive.”</p><p>  “She loved me?” Enzan whispered.</p><p>  “Yes, she did,” Ijuuin replied, shocked that his son had replied at all. His next words slipped out before he could guard against them. “You look just like her, you know.”</p><p><em>  Copy Rockman was right after all</em>, Enzan thought sadly. <em>I wish I could tell him</em> <em>that</em>. He leaned against his father’s shoulder suddenly, resting his head against the curve of the man’s neck. He didn’t know how his father knew that he blamed himself for his mother’s death, and he didn’t have the energy to wonder about it.</p><p>  Ijuuin patted his son’s head awkwardly; feeling more uncomfortable then he had ever felt in his life. An e-mail appeared on his computer screen and blinked silently, but he didn’t notice.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “Try it again,” Dr Hikari said patiently. He watched as his colleague ran through the command set once again. The computer screen in front of the man lit up for a few seconds. Dr. Hikari studied the data that flew by the screen for a moment before shaking his head.</p><p>  “It’s still the same results,” he observed.  “But why? Why can’t we shut this thing down?”</p><p>  “The government’s getting impatient,” his colleague said. “Why can’t we just cut the power to the building?”</p><p>  Dr. Hikari shook his head. “For the same reasons the Net Agents stopped them from doing so when they first suggested it. There could be a hidden virus or other trap that’ll be unleashed if it loses power. We can’t take that risk.”</p><p>  “But why won’t it shut down?’ the other man asked. “There’s nothing left of the Net World!”</p><p>  “No, that’s not true,” Dr. Hikari said softly. “If there was nothing left, then what’s preventing us from shutting it down?” He stared at the humming remains of the Net World, musing silently over the single mainframe that had refused to shut down.</p><p>   “Dr. Hikari?”</p><p>  Hikari Yuuichirou turned around to see a familiar face. His heart leaped into his throat as his thoughts immediately flew to his family, and only one thing ran through his mind. <em>What now?</em></p><p>  “Don’t worry,” Commander Beef said, seeing the fear in the man’s eyes. “I’m here on what you might say is a social call.”</p><p>  Dr. Hikari sighed, quickly realizing his fear was evident. “I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s just—”</p><p>  “Don’t apologize,” Beef said. “I get that reaction a lot, and you have every reason to jump to conclusions. I need you to come with me for a moment. We need to talk about the Net World, Immersion’s impact on the world, and a young boy named Enzan.”</p><p>  An hour later, Dr. Hikari was on his fifth cup of coffee (they had just built a coffee shop near the Science Labs, figuring correctly that those overworked scientists would need something with lots of caffeine in it to keep them working around the clock). Beef was pacing back and forth, his hands tucked behind his back and his expression serious.</p><p>  “So, you think the reason the Net World will not shut down is because Enzan is still trapped inside?” Dr. Hikari asked, paraphrasing what he had been told over the past hour.</p><p>  “Not all of him,” Beef corrected. “Just a big enough chunk out of his mind to allow him to still function and yet not get any better. In fact, our reports tell us he’s getting worse.”</p><p>  “Getting worse?” Dr. Hikari repeated.</p><p>  Beef stopped pacing, and hesitated for a moment. “Has your son told you any more details about what happened in the Net World after we lost contact?”</p><p>  “No,” Dr. Hikari said. “He hasn’t said much about it at all. His mother and I respect his privacy, even though I’m as anxious as you are to know the whole truth.”</p><p>   “And you know about the copy navis and what happened to them?”</p><p>  “Netto was very upset about it, but he did manage to tell me that much. What does this have to do with Enzan?”</p><p>  Beef turned to face the scientist. “The Net World is still functioning long after it should have shut down. Ijuuin Enzan, someone who is known for his emotional stability and high intelligence, seems to have retained some sort of brain damage, and his condition is steadily worsening. For the most part, Netto has been spared the suffering Enzan is going through—but for how long?”</p><p>  Dr. Hikari tensed. “What do you mean?”</p><p>  “The Net World is still dangerous. If it does still retain a piece of Enzan’s mind, it may have the power to spread itself beyond that single mainframe—even to the Internet,” Beef paused. “A grime thought, but one we must consider. We know the Net World was trying to manipulate Netto into killing Enzan, but how it was supposed to do that is still a mystery.”</p><p>“You’re saying that the Net World could still have the power to attack Netto and Enzan?”</p><p>  “Not only the power, but the drive,” Beef replied darkly. “The malice Watanabe programmed into it isn’t something that dies easily.”</p><p>  “So what do we do?” Dr. Hikari asked. “This is all just speculation; I don’t want to take the chance any more than you do. We have to shut it down somehow.”</p><p>  “The Net Agents have come up with an idea,” Beef replied. “But you’re not going to like it.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  “Still in the Net World?” Hino Ken repeated, leaning on the counter to stare at the woman behind it. “Could it be possible?”</p><p>  Miyuki met his gaze steadily. “According to the data we’ve collected, there’s a slim chance that it is.”</p><p>  “But Enzan’s alive, isn’t he?” Hino Ken asked. “He looked rather pale and sickly when I saw him last, but alive.”</p><p>  “That’s the problem,” Saloma said, jumping into the conversation. “He still looks that way. He hasn’t moved from his bed, hasn’t tried to return to his normal activities, and hasn’t made any effort to get back to normal, like the others have.”</p><p>  “Hino Ken! We need your help back here!” the piercing voice of Madoi called.</p><p>  “I’m busy!” Hino Ken yelled back. He turned back to the Net Agents. “But I thought if the Net World was still in his mind when he was unplugged, he would die.”</p><p>  “That’s the problem,” Miyuki replied. “We suspect the Net World was out of his mind at the time of the crash—mostly. What was left could have taken some of his mind with it. We hope to retrieve it, if it has, but…”</p><p>  “But what remains of it is in shambles.” Hino Ken shook his head. “Good luck with that.”</p><p>  “Hino Ken! If you don’t come back here right now, I’ll cave your skull in with a rolling pin!”</p><p>  Hino Ken snorted. “I’d like to see her try,” he muttered. “Madoi, I said I’m busy! Get someone else to help you!”</p><p>  He returned his attention to the women in front of him. “So why come to me?”</p><p>  “We were hoping you could help us,” Saloma confessed. “Maybe with your experience in the Net World, you could assist us in getting Enzan back to normal.”</p><p>  Hino Ken thought about it for a long moment. The ringing sounds of pots and pans hitting the ground from in the kitchen echoed throughout the little curry restaurant. A loud, high-pitched swearing echoed through the building, but Hino Ken took no notice.</p><p>  “Look,” he said at last. “My job is done. I feel sorry for the kid; I really do, even though he’s almost as big as a pain as Hikari is, but I’m not gonna stick my head out anymore.”</p><p>  “I see,” Miyuki said flatly.</p><p>  “Hey.” Hino Ken held up his arms as if surrendering. “I wouldn’t hook myself up to something like that again if I can help it. And as far as information, I can’t tell you much. The Net World, it does the most remarkable job of hiding its true nature. Or it did, anyway,” he added darkly. He turned toward the kitchen. “Madoi! If we did have customers, you’d be scaring them off right now!”</p><p>  “Oh,” Saloma said, disappointed. She wasn’t surprised at his reply, but she had hoped that World Three would have been a bit more sympathetic. Then again, she was thinking too highly of World Three.</p><p>  “I do know one thing,” Hino Ken said. “Whatever happened in the Net World, it changed Enzan. It changed us all, I think, but him most of all. If you ever do recover his mind, it should be interesting to see the results. Oh, and one more thing.” He dug around in his back pocket and pulled out a card. “If you really need help, call this number.”</p><p>  “Is it yours?” Saloma asked, taking it.</p><p>  “No, it’s not mine,” he replied. “But I think you’ll find it useful.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  In the darkness, something flashed, a tiny beam of light cutting through the darkness. It disappeared almost as quickly as it came, but not before it served its purpose.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>  He’s coming. </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  It’s about time they figured it out. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  <em>He doesn’t know what’s going on. </em></strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  Good, that will make this easier. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  <em>Don’t hurt him!</em></strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>  Try and stop me.</strong>
</p><p>  In the darkness, something struggled against an unseen force. In the darkness, something else laughed.</p><p># # #</p><p>  Miyuki nodded slowly, sliding the card into a pocket. “We thank you for your help, Hino Ken. Perhaps we will work together again as allies.”</p><p>  “Oh, I doubt it,” Hino Ken said cheerfully, waving as they left. Madoi appeared behind him.</p><p>  “Hino Ken,” she said, irritated. She was covered with flour and looked like she was about to kill someone. “If those weren’t customers, then who were they?”</p><p>  “Um…” Hino Ken tried to think fast.</p><p>  “You were talking to those Net Agent girls, weren’t you?” Madoi shrieked. “Are you mad? They’ll be going after us next, now that Immersion is gone!”</p><p>  “I don’t believe so.”</p><p>  Hino Ken and Madoi turned to see Mahajarama leaning against a wall.</p><p>  “Were you standing there the whole time?” Hino Ken demanded.</p><p>  “Yes. Madoi, I would hardly call paying our bills for the next two years is ‘coming after us,’ as you put it.” Mahajarama held up an envelope.</p><p>  “They… did what?” Madoi stared at the dark-skinned man in shock.</p><p>  “Paid our bills in full,” Mahajarama repeated. “For the next two years. I wonder if they knew we were struggling with them to begin with?”</p><p>  He turned and left then without another word.</p><p>  “Well, I’ll be…” Madoi muttered.</p><p>  “Maybe those Net Agents aren’t so bad after all?” Hino Ken mused. He and Madoi exchanged quick looks. “Nah.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Enzan stepped into the room and winced at the brightness, covering his eyes with one arm. They still hadn’t grown used to strong light, and his habit of shutting himself away lately had done nothing to help.</p><p>  “I think you know why you’re here, Enzan,” a soft voice said.</p><p>  Enzan didn’t reply. Behind him, his father kept a strong grip on his shoulder and surveyed the room with an icy gaze. He lowered his arm to study the speaker. Clean-shaven and well-groomed, Hikari Yuuichirou looked nothing like the drunk the Net World had portrayed him as. His eyes were filled with mischief and kindness, but he was looking at Enzan with an almost sorrowful look. He wondered if the memories the Net World planted in the man’s mind were still vivid, and as he continued to stare at the man, he realized they were.</p><p>  “You’re here—” Beef started.</p><p>  “You’re here,” Dr. Hikari interrupted. “Because we need your help. In fact, you are the only one that can help us.”</p><p>  Enzan looked around the small research room, one of the many in the Science Labs. There was a mainframe, a terminal, and other equipment in one corner, and a long surgical table in the other corner. The three Net Agents stood by the door, watching him.</p><p>  “I got your e-mail,” Ijuuin said. “This had better work, or I will hold all of you responsible.”</p><p>  “Did he bring his PET?” Dr. Hikari asked, ignoring the threat.</p><p>  “I’m not stupid,” Enzan said, breaking into the conversation.</p><p>  “My son may be at a disadvantage at the moment, but he is not, as he said, stupid,” Ijuuin replied coldly. “You should not talk over his head.”</p><p>  “Of course,” Dr. Hikari said smoothly. He turned toward the young net-battler. “We think we can help you, Enzan. You may be… feeling oddly, because of something that happened to you in the Net World.”</p><p>  Enzan sucked in his breath, and Dr. Hikari knew he had said the keywords. Something had happened in the Net World, something Netto refused to tell him about, no matter how many times he asked.</p><p>  “The problem is, we can’t shut down the last part of the Net World,” Dr. Hikari continued. “And we think that with you helping us, we can. We want to integrate you into the part that’s left.”</p><p>  Enzan stared at him. They were integrating him into the Net World again, even though they thought something was wrong with him? He knew he should feel shocked, or angry, but he didn’t. He didn’t care about anything. “How?” he said instead.</p><p>  Dr. Hikari gestured toward the black container. “We won’t have you hooked up quite as extensively as Immersion did; just enough to get your mind into it. We believe that if you go in, we can create a direct connection at last, and find out the truth.”</p><p>  Enzan stared at the surgical table dully. He finally shrugged, not caring what happened.</p><p>  Dr. Hikari nodded to the Net Agents, and the two women moved forward and guided Enzan to the table. There were numerous wires draped over a nearby machine.</p><p>  “We’re going to give you some sleeping gas so you won’t feel anything going in,” Dr. Hikari said, walking up to the surgical table. He held out his hand. “May I have Blues? His assistance would be useful.”</p><p>  Enzan frowned. “Blues?” For a moment, he felt a tinge of panic at the thought that he would be separated from Blues. The moment passed.</p><p>  “I would like to help him, Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  Enzan held up the PET, and Dr. Hikari took it from his hands gently. The darker of the two women—Miyuki the fortune teller, Enzan dimly remembered—held something to Enzan’s face. That was the last thing Enzan remembered.</p><p>  “He’s unconscious,” she announced. “Should we connect the wires now?”</p><p>  “Yes.”</p><p>  “Are you prepared to make the connections?”</p><p>  Dr. Hikari nodded, plugging Blues into his small computer and typing a few things. “I hate doing it this way. Using wires and cables that lead directly to the brain to generate impulses is extremely dangerous. I’m surprised they managed to make it stable for so long.”</p><p>  “Of course, we know why…” Beef muttered quietly.</p><p>  “I’d be interested in hearing it,” Ijuuin said loudly, irritated at being left out of the loop.</p><p>  “Watanabe’s navi held the thing together,” Dr. Hikari said darkly. “She programmed him herself. He was capable of shape-changing, but the amount of data needed to create such a power didn’t leave much for an intellect. He had the mental capacity of a six-year-old child. It was that unsuspecting navi she used to create a basis for the Net World. She twisted its programming and its mind to get her results, but it didn’t last. The Net World didn’t crash because we intruded. It crashed because the navi couldn’t handle the intelligence needed to control such a thing, and withdrew within itself.”</p><p>  “She abused it,” Saloma added softly. “And I’m sure the only thing it wanted was to make her happy.”</p><p>   “Connection made,” Dr. Hikari said. “Let’s hope this works. Blues, watch the connection closely.”</p><p>  “Understood.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Enzan opened his eyes to see he was standing in a field of grass. As far as he could see, the ground was covered with green grass, and the sky a cloudless blue. There were flowers every so often, and sometimes a butterfly fluttered past. There was a soft, warm breeze blowing throughout the area, and Enzan almost laid down and closed his eyes to enjoy it.</p><p>  “This isn’t real,” he told himself. He blinked, realizing that his mind felt clearer, clearer than it had in days. Suddenly his gloomy depression for the last few weeks made no sense to him, and he realized with annoyance he had been ignoring the one person he had missed the most in his Net World experience—Blues.</p><p><em>  Why was I such an idiot?</em> He mentally chided himself. <em>I go and almost get myself killed, I practically ignored him while he was rescuing me, and now I treat him like he’s not even there!</em></p><p>  The soft sound of someone singing broke into his thoughts, and he looked around wildly. Why had he ever agreed to go back into the Net World? He didn’t even know what he was here for.</p><p>  The singing voice came from nearby, and Enzan stopped panicking when he realized it was the voice of a child.</p><p>  “Who’s out there?” he called.</p><p>  He heard the sound of something moving behind, and whirled, braced for an attack. His eyes widened. “<em>Rockman</em>?”</p><p>  The navi stood with his head bowed, and his hands hung limply by his sides.  He slowly raised his head. “Hello, Enzan-sama.”</p><p>  Enzan nearly cried out in horror, and stumbled away from the sight before him. “Who—<em>who are you</em>?”</p><p>  Rockman stared at him. His eyes were made of black, lightless orbs. “I am Copy.EXE, the navi of Watanabe Yuuhi. I possess the ability to copy any navi’s physical appearance and powers for a limited amount of time.”</p><p>  “You’re the Net World!” Enzan exclaimed, recalling Beef’s words at the meeting two weeks back.</p><p>  “I was the Net World,” Copy admitted.</p><p>  Enzan tensed, but he knew there was nowhere to run. The grassy plain, the bright blue sky—all of it was an illusion created by the Net World. “So what now?” he asked suspiciously. “Are you going to try and kill me again?”</p><p>  Copy smiled softly. It looked strange on Rockman’s face, like the painted smile of a doll. “I don’t want to kill you, Enzan-sama. Not anymore.”</p><p>  “Not anymore?” Enzan asked. The way Copy kept calling him ‘Enzan-sama’ bothered him, but he knew better than to say so.</p><p>  “I would have died when the Net World crashed, but someone saved me,” Copy informed him. His voice was a flat, emotionless tone, and there was a hollow ring to it, as if he were speaking from far away. “Rockman—Copy Rockman saved me. He wanted me to keep the Net World running, because he knew there was still a piece of you trapped within me. I’ve made sure the Net World wouldn’t shut down until you arrived.”</p><p>  “Copy Rockman saved…” Enzan cut himself off. “Then where is he? Where’s Rockman?”</p><p>  “In order to survive, we had to merge,” Copy said, tilting his head. “I am now Copy Rockman, Copy Blues, and myself all in one. I no longer hate you, Ijuuin Enzan.”</p><p>  “Copy Blues was deleted,” Enzan snapped. “You’re a liar!”</p><p>  “Copy Blues merged some of his data with Copy Rockman before he was deleted,” Copy replied. “What little that was merged with me with Copy Rockman. I’m glad. It would have been so lonely by myself.”</p><p>  “I want to talk to Rockman,” Enzan said. He wasn’t sure if he was following what Copy was saying. He suspected the navi wasn’t completely sane.</p><p>  “You are talking to him,” Copy said calmly. He paused for a moment. “Enzan-sama, you should leave. You have gotten what you came for.”</p><p>  “Don’t give me that!” Enzan snapped. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about! I want to talk to Rockman.”</p><p>  Copy sighed and closed his eyes. For a moment, he was completely still. “Enzan-sama, you have to go.”</p><p>  The voice had lost its hollowness, and carried a familiar tone and emotion. “Rockman… I can’t,” Enzan said hopelessly. “I can’t leave you to die again.”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama, you have to go!” Rockman repeated, his voice more frantic. “He’s coming. I tried to stop him, but I wasn’t strong enough. You must leave now!”</p><p>  “Who’s coming? Why?”  Enzan replied, bewildered by the turn of events. “Wha—<em>ack</em>!”</p><p>  He pitched forward as something crashed down hard and fast between his shoulder blades. The sudden pain caused spots to form in front of his eyes, and he had to shake his head to clear them.</p><p>  “Did you miss me?”</p><p>  Enzan looked up, gasping at the sight of his attacker’s face. “Hikari Enzan!”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Enzan VS Enzan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  “I don’t like it,” Ijuuin said, pacing back and forth. It had only been five minutes since Enzan had been hooked up, or “uploaded” may have been the better term, into the Net World, yet the silence that had followed did nothing to reassure Ijuuin he had made the right decision. He tried watching the monitors Dr. Hikari and Commander Beef were using, but although he had built his company on technology, the words and numbers which flashed by made no sense to him. It forced him to do something he was unaccustomed to doing; trusting someone else.</p><p>  “We explained it in the e-mail, Ijuuin-san,” Miyuki replied from her position by the door. Unlike Saloma, who was watching another monitor next to the unconscious body of Enzan, she seemed to serve no purpose in the room except to watch from a distance. Ijuuin’s business instincts told him she was useless to the operation if that was her only purpose, but the Net Agents were not businessmen. They obviously had methods he was unfamiliar with.</p><p>  “Yes, but plugging my son into the remnants of the Net World in the hopes that he might regain a piece of his mind he had lost to it is what you call a plan?” Ijuuin allowed an incredulous tone slip into his voice. “It sounds risky and based on uncertain logic to me.”</p><p>  “Ah, but you agreed to it, now didn’t you?” Miyuki pointed out.</p><p>  “I realize, Ijuuin-san,” Dr. Hikari broke in, never taking his eyes away from the screen. “This doesn’t make sense to a practical man like yourself. You know all about technology, having built your capitalistic empire on it, and what we are attempting to do defies both logic and reason. However, you must trust us.”</p><p>  “You’re talking about the life of my son, not some stupid experiment,” Ijuuin hissed.</p><p>  “I am a scientist,” Dr. Hikari replied. “I know what we are doing is possible, and I know the probable outcome is what we all desire. I am also a father,” Dr. Hikari’s voice became lower and thick with emotion. “And I know how you feel. You have my word that I will do everything in my power to help your son.”</p><p>  Ijuuin glared at him for a moment. His gaze flickered over to his son, taking in the pale, unhealthy-looking skin of Enzan’s face and the shallow, almost gasping breaths. It was as if the boy was struggling within himself with an unseen foe. Ijuuin twisted around angrily and found himself looking at a wall; he couldn’t bear the sight of his son’s peril any longer.</p><p>  “He does have a point,” Miyuki said softly. “How can it be possible for a part of Enzan’s mind to be converted to data? And if that is the case, can we change it back?”</p><p>  “No, we can’t, that’s the bad thing,” Dr. Hikari said. “We aren’t capable of converting it back into an organic impulse his brain would accept.”</p><p>  “Is that even possible?” Beef asked quietly.</p><p>  “I know it’s possible to convert organic material to data,” Dr. Hikari replied. “I’ve spent much of my career researching it. It’s also possible for the data to retain some organic components. However, converting it back… it’s something we can’t do with the current technology available.”</p><p>  “So what was the whole point of plugging Enzan back into the Net World?” Saloma asked.</p><p>  “The human mind is capable of things technology can only dream of,” Dr. Hikari responded. “It was a long shot, but he may be able to reconnect the pieces himself, given the opportunity.”</p><p>  Ijuuin moaned and rubbed the sides of his temples. “I can’t believe I agreed to this,” he muttered.</p><p>  “That’s it,” Dr. Hikari said suddenly. “The system is shutting down. Pull him out now.”</p><p>  Saloma typed in the command and watched words scrawl across her computer screen, her panic growing. “It won’t let me!”</p><p>  “We’ll have to disconnect him manually,” Beef announced.</p><p>  Dr. Hikari looked at him as if he was insane. “That will kill him for sure!”</p><p>  In a dark corner, far from the ruckus, Miyuki had gravitated away from the sudden chaos. She dialed a number on her cell phone and exchanged a few words with the person on the other end; then hung up, looking satisfied.</p><p>  “What’s going on?” Ijuuin demanded loudly. “What’s wrong with my son?”</p><p>  “Nothing,” Dr. Hikari replied, his eyes never leaving the screen. “Yet,” he added grimly. “Blues, I may need you to force your way into the Net World’s last server. Can you do that?”</p><p>  “Would it hurt Enzan-sama?” Blues asked. His PET was connected to Dr. Hikari’s computer, but he had yet to be uploaded into the system. The scientist had not wanted to take any chances with his data if the system unexpectedly crashed.</p><p>  “We don’t know,” Dr. Hikari replied. “But it may be our only chance.”</p><p>  “I say,” Miyuki broke in, eyeing them all from her shadowy position. “I say we wait and see what happens.”</p><p>  Everyone in the room turned to stare at her.</p><p>  “Are you crazy?” Saloma demanded, waving her PET in the air in emphasis. It was likely she had forgotten it was in her hand, and poor Woodman looked a little worse for the wear because of it.</p><p>  “Not crazy,” Miyuki replied. She smiled faintly. “I’m… prepared.”</p><p>
  <em>  “Is it yours?” Saloma asked, taking it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “No, it’s not mine,” he replied. “But I think you’ll find it useful.”</em>
</p><p>  “Here they come now,” she added, stepping across the room to open the door. Two figures stood on the other side of it. Beef visibly started, and Dr. Hikari stared with his mouth agape.</p><p>
  <em>  “The number is Mahajarama’s,” Hino Ken continued.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “You’re kidding me,” Saloma said in disbelief.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “He is not,” Miyuki intoned.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “She’s right,” Hino Ken said, gesturing toward Miyuki. “I’m perfectly serious. Mahajarama has many talents, and I think you’ll find him useful. I’ll explain to him what’s going on; I’m sure he won’t mind helping. To defeat an opponent is one thing, but to leave him an empty shell, especially since he’s so young, is another.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “But what makes you think he can help us with the NetWorld?” Saloma asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “He’s the one who figured out how to unplug the people trapped in the Net World, was he not?” Hino Ken said, raising an eyebrow. “Mahajarama knows a lot more than he lets on. Sometimes I wonder why he sticks around with the rest of us.”</em>
</p><p>  “We’re here to help, Papa,” Netto announced, stepping in front of Mahajarama purposely. “And we won’t take no for an answer.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Around them, the green of the grass and the brilliant blue of the sky faded, turning gray in color.  Soon the world around them was nothing but a pulsing black, painful to the eyes. Somehow Enzan could still see the two entities—he didn’t know what they were now, programs, navis, or something else—although it seemed like the blackness would have swallowed any available light.</p><p>  Hikari Enzan laughed. “So you do remember me!” He waved the lead pipe in his hands mockingly. “I’m surprised.”</p><p>  “You’re the Net World!” Enzan hissed.</p><p>  “I’m the Net World,” his double agreed.</p><p>  “But…” Enzan glanced at Copy. “He’s the Net World!”</p><p>  Copy’s soulless eyes remained unblinking, and when he spoke, his voice sounded hollow and distant, like he was losing his strength. “Copy Rockman saved me from more than deletion. He helped me get rid of the bad part. But the bad part didn’t go away. I told you that you should have left!”</p><p>  Hikari Enzan lunged forward, cutting down savagely with the pipe. Enzan rolled, dodging the blow, and scrambled to his feet. He backed away from his double, his hands held up in front of him to ward off anymore attacks. “So you split the data,” he muttered.</p><p>  “Exactly.” His double grinned savagely. “It was easy, once most of the inhibitors shut down. That fool sat around and guarded the little bit of your mind I managed to grab before you escaped.”</p><p>  He was talking as the Net World, Enzan realized. “So what do you want now?” he demanded. “Watanabe’s in jail.”</p><p> “So?” Hikari Enzan said, shrugging. He swung his pipe cockily. “I’m still gonna kill you.”</p><p>  Enzan felt his stomach turn. Fear was not something he experienced often, but he had already seen what the Net World was capable of. “Rockman—Copy—whoever you are, you have to help me out here!” Enzan yelled, narrowly dodging a blow.</p><p>  “I can’t,” Copy whispered. His words were lost to Enzan, who was stumbling over his own feet trying to get away from his double.</p><p>  “Will you—hold—still!” Hikari Enzan barked, slashing down with the pipe.</p><p>  The words <em>try and make me</em> crossed Enzan’s mind, but he knew better than to tempt fate. He rolled backwards and onto his knees in one fluid motion. With a lurching motion which was clumsier than he had hoped it would be, he propelled himself forward and buried his fist into his evil counterpart’s face.</p><p>  “<em>Aaagh</em>!”</p><p>  His double laughed. “That was stupid,” he remarked, smirking down at the boy clutching his bloody hand.</p><p>  Enzan swore loudly as he got to his feet, clutching his throbbing fist to his chest. “What are you?” he rasped, backing away. He worried for a moment about broken bones, flexing his hand experimentally. It still moved, albeit painfully, and he assumed it was sprained at the most.</p><p>  “I’m the Net World!” His double laughed and spread his arms in a wide gesture. “I control everything you see around you. I can do anything you can’t do. I can make your death very painful.” He grinned, a sick pleasure alit in his eyes at the thought.</p><p>  “Rockman!” Enzan gasped, concentrating on putting as much distance between himself and his counterpart as possible. He gave up trying to fight back; Hikari Enzan was too strong. He looked human, except for the inhuman hatred in his eyes, but his strength and speed were far superior. He was a computer program with the ability to control his surroundings. Enzan, a mere human, was not only facing off against his double—the entire world he was in was against him.</p><p>“Rockman!” he cried again. “Help me!”</p><p>  Copy stood frozen, his face expressionless.</p><p>  “Rockman?” Enzan looked at him. He knew Rockman was in Copy.EXE somewhere—there was no explanation for the navi’s behavior otherwise. Why would Rockman go through so much trouble to help him only to stop now?</p><p>  Hikari Enzan laughed mockingly. “He can’t help you, Ijuuin. He can’t even move anymore.”</p><p>  “What did you do to him?” Enzan roared.</p><p>  His double shrugged, but the malicious smirk still tugged on the corners of his mouth.</p><p>  “Me?” he said innocently. “I did nothing. That foolish navi merged with his own creations, only to use all of his power protecting that chunk of your mind you left behind. He’s using all his power to keep the Net World from crashing even now. Sad, really, when it’s such a lost cause. He’s only prolonging your death.”</p><p>  Enzan blinked, trying to process the information. He thought Hikari Enzan and Copy were the Net World, yet why was his opponent using it in third person when only moments ago he claimed he was the Net World? Then again, they couldn’t both be the Net World, if the data had truly been split between them.</p><p>  “What’s going on, Copy?” he asked, his eyes never straying from his double’s face. If he was going to try something, Enzan wanted to be ready.</p><p>  “It takes all my power to sustain this form and this world, Enzan-sama,” Copy replied, his tone and voice flat. “My influence over the Net World ends there. I do not control it completely, and <em>neither does Hikari Enzan</em>.”</p><p>  The emphasis was so unexpected it nearly caused Enzan to miss its significance. “If you don’t control it, and he doesn’t control it, then who does?” he asked.</p><p>  “Are you two quite finished?” his double complained. “I want to kill him before noon.” He began to approach Enzan again, tightening his grip on the pipe.</p><p>  “Why?” Enzan snapped, backing away. “I didn’t do anything to you!”</p><p>  “You <em>made</em> me, you little fool,” Hikari Enzan shot back. “Do you think the Net World could have constructed something like that without anything to work on? All it had to do was take your personality and place it in a new environment. Without your wealth and family standing, I’m what you would have been.” He made a sweeping gesture. “I am what you truly are, stripped bare of everything you surround yourself to convince you of otherwise.”</p><p>  Enzan clenched his fist. His double was trying to make him angry on purpose, to keep him from thinking.</p><p>  “He’s lying,” Copy said quietly, grabbing Enzan’s attention. “The Net World works from what it finds in the human mind, true, but it has the ability to warp anything. Primal emotions like anger and fear can produce anything, manipulated the right way. Yet with you the Net World didn’t succeed. It <em>couldn’t</em> make you Hikari Enzan. You must figure out why.”</p><p>  “Shut up, you!” his double snapped. “Why should he believe the navi of his would-be killer?”</p><p>  “Why can’t you tell me why it couldn’t make me be him?” Enzan asked. “What is it I’m missing here?”</p><p>  “He—won’t—let me!” Copy hissed, sounding like he was in pain.</p><p>  “Enough of this,” Hikari Enzan snarled. He ran toward the frozen Copy, pipe raised for a cutting blow.</p><p>  “<em>No</em>!” Enzan leaped to action, determined to cut his evil doppelganger off. He tackled the black-haired boy from the side, and they landed in a heap. Almost immediately they were interlocked in a struggle. The pipe clattered to the side, and disappeared almost unnoticed.</p><p>  Almost unnoticed, because Enzan saw it disappear out of the corner of his eye. One moment it was there, the next it wasn’t, without the slightest ripple of reality or flashy special effect.</p><p>  Enzan’s eyes widened. “That’s it!” he gasped.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “Are you ready?” Mahajarama asked.</p><p>  Netto nodded, a look of determination on his face. “I’m ready.”</p><p>  “Are you sure, Netto?” Dr. Hikari asked his son, unable to keep the worry out of his voice.</p><p>  “If it weren’t for Enzan, I would still be in the Net World. If it weren’t for him, I’d probably be dead, Papa,” Netto replied.</p><p>  “Besides,” he added, taking a breath. “Enzan’s my friend.” It was true, but it still felt strange to say. Before the Net World, they had been allies at best. Now there was nothing he wouldn’t do for the other boy.</p><p>  “And we won’t let him do this alone,” Rockman added.</p><p>  “We’ve managed to slow down the shutdown,” Beef said, staring hard at his computer screen. “But it doesn’t leave you with much time. Time differs from what you experience in the Net World and what happens in this reality—but you have to remember to get out as quickly as possible. We can give you five minutes at the most, but then you have to get out of there. Understand?”</p><p>  “Yes!” Netto and Rockman nodded.</p><p>  “All right,” Dr. Hikari replied, turning back to his work. He was extremely proud of Netto, and he knew it must have shown on his face. “Are you ready for this, Blues?”</p><p>  “I am,” Blues replied.</p><p>  “This is asinine,” Ijuuin moaned. “It will never work! You don’t have the equipment to connect them to the server!”</p><p>  “Technology is a wonderful thing, but limited in its own way,” Mahajarama replied. “There are always other ways to do the impossible. Most people just can’t see them.” He smiled faintly. “It will work, I assure you.”</p><p>  “Here it goes,” Commander Beef said. “Get ready.”</p><p>  Netto slipped on the helmet, the last article of the ancient virtual reality gear which Mahajarama had brought with them. They had spent the last five minutes hooking the technology up to the computers, trying to figure out which cable went where and what commands did what. The VR suit, complete with gloves, boots, and a helmet resembling something a net navi would wear, was in good working condition for its age; it had to be ancient. It was unlikely to connect him to the Net World, and if it did, he wouldn’t be able to interact with anything, but it was worth a try. Mahajarama stood next to him, his arms crossed serenely and his eyes closed with concentration. Unlike Netto, he wore nothing to connect him to the Net World. Not even his PET was plugged in. He claimed he didn’t need it.</p><p>  “I’m plugging Rockman in now,” Saloma called out.</p><p>  “This is ludicrous,” Ijuuin said pointedly.</p><p>  “Connection made,” Dr. Hikari said, ignoring him. “Uploading in five… four… three… two…”</p><p>  Netto sucked in his breath. <em>Please let this work.</em></p><p>  “One.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  “Copy, which one of you am I speaking to now?” Enzan yelled, struggling to pin his opponent.</p><p>  Copy hesitated. “What?” he asked haltingly.</p><p>  “I was talking to Copy.EXE at fir—” Hikari Enzan slugged him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him and forcing him sideways. The Net World clone then jumped on the boy and grabbed him by the shoulders.</p><p>  “First you were speaking as Copy,” Enzan panted, trying to force the words out. “Then you spoke to me as—” His double began bashing his head against the floor repeatedly, making it hard to both think and speak. “As—Rockman! Who are—you speaking—ouch—as now?”</p><p>  “Shut up!” Hikari Enzan snarled. “Shut up and die already!”</p><p>  Enzan managed to wedge his knee between himself and his opponent. He pushed it against his double with all of his strength. His double held onto his shoulders with an iron grip, but Enzan had stopped him from bashing the boy’s head against the ground.</p><p>  “Who are you now?” the young net-battler demanded again.</p><p>  “Blues,” Copy said.</p><p>  “Tell me this, Blues,” Enzan hissed, trying to pry his double’s hand away from his left shoulder. “Why was that pipe underneath my bed?”</p><p>  “Rockman told you once before,” Copy replied. “It was there because you were looking for it.”</p><p>  “Yes…” Enzan muttered softly. “It was, wasn’t it? Who controls the Net World, Blues?”</p><p>  “Stop it!” Hikari Enzan cried, his voice nearly hysterical. “Shut up, you filthy piece of trash! I’ll kill you!” With a roar, he twisted his hands around Enzan’s neck, choking the boy.</p><p><em>  If he cuts off my blood veins, I’m finished!</em> Enzan thought, panicked. He also had no doubt his double could break his neck with a sharp twist, if he wanted. But he seemed to want to watch Enzan suffer, and settled for cutting off his oxygen instead.</p><p>  Good, that gave Enzan some time.</p><p>  “Who… controls… the Net World?” Enzan gasped again.</p><p>  Copy struggled, his dark eyes reflecting more emotion than Enzan thought possible. “I can’t… we must… you… Enzan-sama!” The voice of Copy Rockman rang out, high and panicked. “You have to say it, Enzan-sama! We can’t do it for you!”</p><p>  Enzan opened his mouth, but only a choking sound came out. He was starting to see bright spots form in the back of his eyes, and Hikari Enzan’s savage smile was growing blurry.</p><p>  “It’s over for you,” Hikari Enzan whispered. “This all ends here.”</p><p>  “I don’t think so!”</p><p>  The black-haired double barely grunted as something metallic and solid hit him squarely in the back. He slowly released his victim, ignoring Enzan’s gasp for air, and turned to face his attacker.</p><p>  Netto cringed at Hikari Enzan’s glower, but he shouldered the pipe like a baseball bat and set his face in a look of determination. “Leave my friend alone,” he growled.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “What’s happening?” Beef cried. “Those numbers are climbing off the chart!”</p><p>  “This can’t possibly be for real,” Saloma added, her face frozen with disbelief.</p><p>  “Can he do that?” Miyuki wondered, watching the video feed.</p><p>  Dr. Hikari grinned, watching Netto bait Enzan’s double. “That’s my boy,” he said proudly. “Blues! Rockman! How’s the connection coming?”</p><p>  “It’s almost complete,” Blues’ voice replied. Unseen, he and Rockman were working on the last connection to the system outside of the Net World’s server. It was because of their presence so close to the Net World the gathered group could see what was happening, although audio was extremely poor.</p><p>  “Papa!” Rockman called out. “There’s something strange going on here. According to what we’re seeing, the Net World shouldn’t be operating at all! There’s no power source for it to run.”</p><p>  “I thought so,” Dr. Hikari said grimly. “That only means one thing.” He was silent for a moment.</p><p>  “<em>What</em>?” Saloma asked with exasperation. Dr. Hikari’s silence had lasted too long for a dramatic effect.</p><p>  “It means Watanabe’s navi has reverted back into his original form,” Dr. Hikari replied. “It means Enzan, Mahajarama, and Netto have less time than we thought.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  “You fool,” Hikari Enzan said simply. He raised his hand and pointed his index finger at Netto. “You have no idea what danger you have put yourself in.” He smirked. “Bang, bang.”</p><p>  Netto opened his mouth to reply, and instead cried out as he was flung backwards by an unseen blow. He hit the ground hard and clutched his chest. There was no wound or blood, but from the amount of pain he was in, he could have sworn he had been shot. The pipe clattered off, the hollow ringing of its vibrations suddenly cutting off as it disappeared into darkness.</p><p>  “Idiot,” Hikari Enzan said. “You should have—” He was cut off by a blow across his face. Enzan had escaped his hold while he had been distracted and was crouched not far away, another shiny pipe in his hands. He was breathing hard and his hands were slick with sweat, making it hard to keep a good grip on the pipe, but he glared at his double with more energy than he had felt in a long time.</p><p>  “Never take your eyes off your opponent,” Enzan snarled. “First rule of self-defense.”</p><p>  “Where the hell are all of these pipes coming from?” Hikari Enzan hissed.</p><p>  Enzan threw the pipe at him and bolted, heading for the fallen Netto’s side. His double simply dodged the pipe and stood up, watching Enzan coldly, but made no move to intercept.</p><p>  “Are you okay, Netto?” he asked, grabbing the younger netbattler and pulling him to his feet, despite Netto’s pain-filled yipping.</p><p>   “I’ll live,” Netto murmured, bent over slightly and still clutching his chest. He frowned up at Enzan. “You called me Netto.”</p><p>  “It isn’t real,” Enzan replied.</p><p>  “What?”</p><p>  “The pain you’re feeling isn’t real,” Enzan said, keeping a steady hand on Netto’s shoulder. He glared at his double. “Isn’t that right?”</p><p>  Hikari Enzan said nothing.</p><p>  “None of this is real,” Enzan continued, gesturing at the blackness. “It’s not even data. It’s just something the Net World has pulled from our minds, created from our subconscious thoughts. All you have to do, Netto, is tell yourself the pain isn’t real, and believe it, and it will go away.”</p><p>  “Really?” Netto rasped.</p><p>  “Really,” Enzan said, nodding.</p><p>  Netto closed his eyes and concentrated hard. “Hey… I do feel better.”</p><p>  Enzan smiled. “I knew it,” he said softly. “I’ve figured this all out. This place isn’t real, it’s just something inside my mind, created by manipulation.”</p><p>  He waved his hand in the air, and suddenly another pipe was in it, identical in every way to each pipe which had been there before. “When the Net World shot me, disguised as Miyuki, that wasn’t real either. The Net World is nothing but a digitally inserted image; it couldn’t really hurt me. I saw the blood because I expected it to be there, and I fell because I thought I was on top of a building—<em>but I didn’t die</em>.”</p><p>  Netto straightened up. The pain was gone, as Enzan said it would be. “What are you saying?”</p><p>  “Don’t you get it?” Enzan looked at his friend’s face and saw that he did not.</p><p>  “It’s so easy,” Enzan said, laughing a little. “I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out sooner!”</p><p>  He turned toward Copy. Watanabe’s navi was still frozen in the form of Rockman, watching everything with black orbs for eyes, but those orbs twinkled, as if he knew what Enzan was thinking.</p><p>  “Copy, who am I?”</p><p>  “You’re Ijuuin Enzan, Enzan-sama,” Copy replied. “You are the Net World.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Ye Not Guilty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  “We’re out of time,” Dr. Hikari said, his voice strained. “We’ll have to pull them out now.”</p><p>  “Pulling them out now will cause brain damage to the both of them!” Beef cried. “They have to pull themselves out of the Net World, that’s why Blues and Rockman set out the escape connection for them!”</p><p>  “I know,” Dr. Hikari replied. His voice was thick, and for a moment, Saloma thought she saw tears in his eyes. “The system will shut down in thirty seconds. We no longer have the time for them to use that route!”</p><p>  “Let it shut down.”</p><p>  Silence reigned as the group slowly turned toward Miyuki. She gave them a confused look and shrugged.</p><p>  “Let the system shut down,” the voice repeated. It was masculine, and it was coming from…</p><p>  “Mahajarama?” Saloma gasped.</p><p>  The World Three agent had not moved from his meditative position. If they hadn’t been looking for it, they would not have spotted the slight movement of his lips as he spoke.</p><p>  “You want us to stand by and watch our sons die?” Ijuuin gasped. If he wasn’t so shocked, he would have tried to strangle the bizarre man.</p><p>  “They will not die,” Mahajarama replied. “It is not the Net World’s system they are trapped in. Leave the connection up, it will be needed for other things. But do nothing else.”</p><p>  Dr. Hikari took a moment to absorb this information. He then turned to the blue PET by his computer, his only connection to Rockman, who was somewhere deep in his computer’s mainframe. “Rockman?”</p><p>  “Trust him, Papa.” Rockman’s voice came back without hesitation. “He won’t let Netto-kun and Enzan die.”</p><p>  “Blues? What about you?” Dr. Hikari asked.</p><p>  “Oh my God, he’s consulting net navis instead of using sanity!” Ijuuin groaned. “I’ve had enough! I’ll unplug my son myself!”</p><p>  Miyuki clasped a thin hand on his shoulder before the business man even moved to carry out his threat. “I think not,” she said softly.</p><p>  “I believe Mahajarama,” Blues said, his voice disrupted more than usual from the powerful systems of the mainframe. “Please listen to him, Ijuuin-sama. He’s the only one who can save my operator.”</p><p>  “That’s good enough for me,” Dr. Hikari said shortly.</p><p>  Beef grinned. “I’m in. Let’s get this over with once and for all.”</p><p>  “Mahajarama, we’re all yours,” Dr. Hikari said, turning back to his screen. “Just tell us what you need.”</p><p>  Ijuuin muttered an expletive and sat down in a corner, his head in his hands. Miyuki watched him closely, ready to move if he tried anything again.</p><p>  “Thank you,” Mahajarama replied. “You won’t regret this.”</p><p>  “Hopefully,” Saloma muttered, eyeing her monitor. The system had shut down while they had been discussing it, taking with it the video feed. It would only be a matter of time before Netto and Enzan would begin to die.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “What?” Netto cried. “<em>You’re</em> the Net World?”</p><p>  “Hard to believe, isn’t it?” Enzan said, crossing his arms.</p><p>  “Hard to believe?’” Netto repeated. “It doesn’t make any sense!”</p><p>  “Not at first, no,” Enzan replied. He grinned at his double, who seemed to be frozen in place. “I’m not the only one, either. <em>You’re</em> the Net World too, or were at one time.”</p><p>  “That clone of yours didn’t bash your head in with that pipe a few times, did he?” Netto asked skeptically.</p><p>  “He certainly tried, but no,” Enzan said. “You heard Copy. <em>I’m</em> the Net World. <em>I</em> created this place. This place is <em>me</em>.”</p><p>  A number of questions ran through Netto’s mind, but seeing as how Enzan was holding a large, dangerous pipe in his hands, he settled for one that wouldn’t make the white-haired boy angry. “How?”</p><p>  “The NetWorld isn’t some massive virtual reality program,” Enzan said, never taking his eyes off of his counterpart. Hikari Enzan seemed as frozen in place as Copy, but Enzan knew better than to believe that to be the truth. “Its abilities are limited to forcing a piece of itself into the mind of a person, and making that person believe he or she is interacting with a whole world. The idea is of connecting many people at once, even though they’re all in separate worlds and shouldn’t be able to interact with each other, is what the Net World was trying to achieve. It managed to do so because it projects one person’s actions into another person’s world, causing the interaction.”</p><p>  “That’s what Commander Beef was trying to say,” Netto replied. “I still don’t see how that makes you the Net World.”</p><p>  “Well, that’s how we thought it worked. But Commander Beef was wrong; we all were,” Enzan said. “There is nothing powerful enough to do that to the human mind, not to mention several minds at once. It’s impossible. Those machines weren’t needed to support the Net World’s reality—they were needed to connect it with everyone else’s reality.”</p><p>  “Are you sure he didn’t hit you in the head?” Netto demanded.</p><p>  “No, listen to me!” Enzan snapped. “The only thing the Net World did was to create things in your head, a reality that was different from the real one. It used your thoughts, your emotions, and your reactions to make something that seemed real to you at the time, your mind couldn’t tell the difference between the real world and the fake one inside your head. But <em>you</em> created it. It was your world. If you had known that, you would have been able to control it as well.” He turned toward Copy. “Am I right, Copy Blues?”</p><p>  Netto gasped. “Copy…Blues?”</p><p>  “You’re right,” Copy replied, his voice taking on the authoritative tone which Enzan had learned to recognize as Copy Blues speaking. “The Net World was a merely a ruse in its name itself, designed to mislead those trying to pry into its secrets. The real power of the Net World came from the human imagination. The program—Copy.EXE—was designed to work with past experiences, emotions, and memories to design a world with seemingly small changes, but vast effects. It worked on events which already occurred, making it easier to create what took place. Commander Beef’s theory wasn’t far from the truth, after all—it was just missing a few key facts.”</p><p>  Copy’s face never changed its blank expression, but he seemed to smile with his eyes. “Hello, Netto-kun. I missed you.”</p><p>  “Enzan… that’s… he’s… it’s not possible,” Netto said weakly. He grabbed onto Enzan’s arm as if he didn’t trust his legs to support himself. “That’s not possible; Copy Blues was deleted…”</p><p>  “No,” Enzan said softly. “Copy Blues was nothing more than a branch of Copy.EXE. When we saw him deleted, it was only Copy.EXE’s way of taking back the data he used to create Copy Blues. Copy Rockman, however, managed to keep a piece of Copy Blues through the data transfer—and using that piece while he merged with Copy Rockman, he not only kept his own consciousness intact, he somehow resurrected Copy Blues’ mind.”</p><p>  “So then…” Netto drifted off, unable to connect his whirling thoughts.</p><p>  “They’re merged,” Enzan replied grimly. “Soon we won’t be able to talk to them as individuals.”</p><p>  “I’m sorry, Netto-kun,” Copy whispered. “There was no other way.”</p><p>  “It’s okay, Blues,” Netto replied. He wiped at his eyes quickly; Enzan pretended not to notice. “I’m just glad you’re alive.”</p><p>  “So our minds created the Net World,” Enzan said, continuing on. “And in doing so, we were actually in control. But because we didn’t know it, Wata—Copy was able to manipulate us into situations. That’s how they planned to get you to kill me. They would put you in a place where you would believe you weren’t in control, and had no other choice. It may have been planned as an accident of some kind.”</p><p>  “Oh?” Netto said, sounding slightly ill.</p><p>  “I’d rather not know the details myself,” Enzan replied, making a face.</p><p>  “This is all very good and well.” Hikari Enzan crossed his arms and smirked, speaking for the first time. He looked like an eerie mirror of Enzan, and Netto found the blackness of the clone’s hair was the only way he could distinguish between them.</p><p>  “How do you explain me, then, Mr. Net World?” the double asked coldly. “And hurry up with your explanation; I want to kill you sometime soon.”</p><p>  Enzan gave his double a thin smile. “Actually, you’re the one who helped me to figure it out.” He waved the pipe in his hand. “Rockman told me the pipe I found underneath my bed was there because I was looking for it. Later I figured he had used the Net World to put it there himself, but it didn’t explain how he knew I was looking for a pipe to begin with. Then I saw you with it—and better yet, I saw it disappear when you dropped it.”</p><p>  “And this led you to the delusion that you’re the Net World,” Hikari Enzan snorted.</p><p>  “Blues, the reason I was not under the Net World’s illusion wasn’t because of a detail Immersion missed, was it?” Enzan’s words sounded more like a statement than a question, and he continued on without waiting for an answer. “Immersion needed someone’s mind to build their reality on, and that someone was me. Because they used my mind to create the reality inflicted on everyone else, however, they overlooked the fact I may have been immune to my own illusion. And because it was my illusion, they didn’t notice I wasn’t under my own spell because they were concentrating on Netto. I didn’t die, like Immersion wanted, simply because my mind wouldn’t allow my own illusion to kill me. I am, in effect, the Net World.”</p><p>  “Makes sense to me,” Netto admitted. “But why you?”</p><p>  Enzan shrugged. “I’ve repressed my imagination and dreams over the years for success and knowledge. Maybe I had a large, unused amount of it stored.”</p><p>  “Yes,” Copy said. His tone was higher, and Enzan was sure it was now Copy Rockman speaking. “You were the perfect host, Enzan-sama. Your memory was sharp enough to provide details others would forget, and your natural determination helped spread the Net World’s reality.”</p><p>  “Hello, I’m still here!” Hikari Enzan snapped, waving his hands in the air.</p><p>  “Yeah… what does that make him?” Netto wondered out loud.</p><p>  “There was no data split. I assumed that to be the cause, and Hikari Enzan only played on that fact,” Enzan replied. “He’s nothing more than another loose piece of the Net World. A figment of my imagination.”</p><p>  His double grinned at this. “Wrong, Ijuuin. Your presence just gave me a physical form, but I’ve always been here.” He clapped his hands together, and disappeared. Netto and Enzan whirled, but there was no sign of the double.</p><p>  “The Net World was made up of your mind, Ijuuin Enzan.” Hikari Enzan’s voice rang out. “And you were the last one out of Copy.EXE’s little matrix, remember? You left a piece of yourself behind, just large enough to give that stupid navi something to cling to. It was also large enough to produce the most dangerous enemy you have—yourself.”</p><p>  The clone appeared between the two net-battlers, and before they could utter a sound he had them by their necks and lifted them a foot in the air. “Poor Copy Rockman. All he wanted to do was give you back what was yours,” his double mocked. “He had no idea it would try to kill you rather than become one with you again.”</p><p>  “You’re… lying,” Enzan gasped.</p><p>  “Me? Lie? Now why would I do that?” Hikari Enzan cocked his head; then threw them away simultaneously. Netto landed hard and rolled a few times before stopping. Enzan landed on his arm—and cried out when he heard something break.</p><p>  “I thought you were in control, Ijuuin?” his double mocked. “I thought you could fix that broken arm with just a thought?”</p><p>  “Netto—” Enzan sucked in his breath as a wave of pain hit him. “Netto, are you all right?”</p><p>  “Netto-kun, get up!” Copy ordered. “Netto-kun! You can’t lose consciousness now!”</p><p>  Netto blinked and shook his head a few times. Everything looked fuzzy, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t pry his eyes any wider. He blinked again as something wet covered one eye. He wiped at it futilely; for some reason, his hand wouldn’t do what he told it to do. He got a good look at the wet stuff with his clear eye; it was blood, bright red and sticky.</p><p>  “Rockman, what did I get wrong?” Enzan croaked. “I thought I was right.”</p><p>  “You are right, Enzan-sama!” Copy cried. “You just don’t believe it yet. You can stop Hikari Enzan if you believe you can!”</p><p>  “Wrong again!” Hikari Enzan cried out cheerfully. “He’s right about a lot of things, dear old Copy—he did create the Net World. However, he’s no longer in control; I am. Thanks to you, Copy, and the way you crashed the system on yourself, I was able to form my own little consciousness. I think I’ve found a proper way to thank my creator, don’t you?”</p><p>  Copy ignored the mockery. “Netto, get up! You have to stay awake. Netto-kun!”</p><p>  “Lose consciousness in my world, and you’ll never open your eyes again.” Hikari Enzan grinned. “That’s what he gets for meddling.” He walked up to Enzan and grabbed him by his collar, pulling him to his feet. Enzan couldn’t stop himself from crying out as his arm hung loosely at his side.</p><p>  “Why… do this?” Enzan asked, gasping.</p><p>  “Ever hear of irony, Ijuuin?” his double asked. “Remember those memories Immersion made for you, that, ironically, the Net World you created never put into your mind? Well, they had to go somewhere. They were in your mind after all—but not in a place you could have reached. When Copy.EXE began losing control, he unconsciously grabbed the last bit of untainted Net World he could find—Me. Those memories, created by you for you which never got put into their place. With that, I admit, he took a chunk of your mind you needed, but those are minor details.”</p><p>  The double laughed at the expression on Enzan’s face. “You’re starting to get it now! You were the one who created the scenario which would have killed you! Isn’t that ironic? Watanabe Yuuhi thought so.”</p><p>  “Yuuhi…chan…” Copy whispered. The mention of his former operator drove Copy Blues’ concern for Netto out of his mind. The image of a young woman filled it instead. He remembered her as she giggled, watching him transform into various things, dreaming of what she would accomplish once out of college. That was his operator, not the bitter, twisted person who warped his data. He recalled other feelings; alien feelings which didn’t belong to him. A brotherly fondness of an energetic boy; a feeling of complete trust, despite a history of pain. He could no longer separate what feeling was truly his. He could not remember why he would want to.</p><p>  Netto could no longer keep his eyes open. Copy’s screams at him to do so had stopped, and he couldn’t remember why it was so important that he stay awake. A little nap wouldn’t hurt anyone…</p><p>  “So you’re going to kill me now?” Enzan asked in disbelief, struggling feebly in his double’s hold.</p><p>  “Nope. You’re gonna kill yourself. Funny, no? I think it’s hilarious.” As if to prove his point he laughed again, a sharp, bitter laugh tainted with evil thoughts and desires.</p><p>  “Netto—” Enzan’s eyes grew wide when he saw that Netto was gone. “<em>Netto</em>!”</p><p># # #</p><p>  Netto opened his eyes to see a boring-looking ceiling. He twisted his head to the side to see a frantic group of people he knew, one of them being his father, running around jabbering a lot of things which made no sense to him. He turned his head in the other direction and saw Enzan’s body, still except for the slight rise and fall of his chest. Mahajarama was meditating serenely next to the body, oblivious to the chaos in the room.</p><p>  Netto sat up, removed the virtual reality helmet from his head, and declared in a very loud voice, “Dammit! He did it to me <em>again</em>!”</p><p>  “Netto!” Saloma cried, rushing to his side. “Are you all right?”</p><p>  Netto quickly felt his forehead. There was no sign of a cut or blood. “I’m fine,” he said dejectedly. “But now I can’t help Enzan.”</p><p>  “On the contrary, you’ve helped him a lot,” Commander Beef said, coming to the boy’s side. “The system which contained the Net World has shut down completely, yet we’re still getting energy signals from it. Enzan’s life signs are still in good shape—for the time being. Mahajarama told us he was pulling you out a few seconds before you woke up.”</p><p>  Netto cast a dubious glance at the meditating man. “He did?”</p><p>  “Long story,” Saloma replied. “What did you mean by ‘he did it to me again’?”</p><p>  “Long story,” Netto threw back at her. He sighed. “What’s going on?”</p><p>  “We’re working on the fact that Enzan’s mind is still in the Net World’s last operating system because of the energy signals we’re getting, but we can’t figure out how to get him out,” Saloma explained quickly. The more Netto knew, the bigger help he could be. “Blues and Rockman are maintaining a connection to the system because of that, though with the system down it’s more like a closed gate which they’ll pry open given the opportunity. If only we could figure out what that energy signal is…”</p><p>  “Oh, that’s Copy.EXE,” Netto said.</p><p>  “<em>What</em>?” Beef and Saloma roared as one.</p><p>  Dr. Hikari actually looked up from his screen. “What do you mean, Copy.EXE, son?” he asked. “According to our data, he had to have been deleted once the system shut down.”</p><p>  “Boy, do I have a lot to tell you,” Netto replied.</p><p>  “Better do it quickly,” Miyuki intoned. “We’re running out of time.”</p><p># # #</p><p>  “Must have fallen asleep,” Hikari Enzan commented without emotion. “That’s what’ll happen to you; you’ll simply disappear, defeated by your own mind.” He slid his hand around Enzan’s throat again, his smirk growing wider.</p><p>  Enzan screamed, unable to do anything else. He could feel the grip on his throat tighten, and he screamed louder. It was a scream of frustration, not fear; frustration that the best he could do was still not good enough. Now it would never be good enough. Netto was gone, probably dead. Copy was next, if the Net World collapsed when he died. There was nothing else he could do but scream.</p><p>  “Excuse me.”</p><p>  “What?” Hikari Enzan made the mistake of turning toward the voice that spoke. Copy.EXE slugged him in the face, forcing him to release his hold on Enzan’s neck.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “This is bad,” Dr. Hikari muttered, shaking his head. “Very bad. It throws everything we’ve been working on out the window!”</p><p>  “So we’ll adjust,” Beef said grimly. “It sounds like the gate idea can still work, if we can make the connection to the right place.”</p><p>  “Enzan’s life signs are dropping,” Saloma announced. She was studying the monitor by Enzan’s side. It was designed to observe such things like his pulse and breathing without being attached to the actual patient. “His heartbeat is slowing down. We don’t have emergency life support systems which can deal with a total shutdown—we’ll have to make our change of plans quickly.”</p><p>  “To make things worse, it sounds like Enzan’s fighting a nightmare of his own design,” Beef added grimly.</p><p>  Netto sat in a far corner, feeling useless. Not only had he failed Enzan, he had knocked himself out of the game. In this reality, he was useless to the current task at hand.</p><p>  “Netto, I think you may be able to help us here,” Miyuki announced, drawing him forward with a hand motion.</p><p>  “Yeah?” Netto said eagerly.</p><p>  “Tell me everything you know about Copy.EXE,” Dr. Hikari said, taking his eyes away from the screen once again to give his full concentration to his son.</p><p># # #</p><p>“Copy!” Enzan cried, rubbing his throat with his good hand. The navi turned to face Enzan, still in Rockman’s form.</p><p>  “The only one who can stop this is you, Enzan-sama,” he said. “You can’t give in to what your double says. You <em>are</em> the Net World!”</p><p>  “But… my arm…”</p><p>  “It will heal if you let it heal. It isn’t really broken, don’t you see?” Copy grabbed Enzan’s good shoulder and gave him a firm shake. “You <em>had</em> it figured out before you started doubting yourself. You let him get to you, Enzan-sama. You have to get over that.”</p><p>  “Shut up, you useless puppet!” Hikari Enzan snarled. He launched himself at the navi, but Copy was expecting the attack. He met the double in midair, connecting the heel of his foot in a side kick with Hikari Enzan’s stomach.</p><p>  “Enzan…” Copy said, not bothering to see how far away his opponent would land. “You have to stop this!”</p><p>  Enzan stared down at his limp arm. It no longer hurt him. Slowly he curled the fist of that arm and raised it to his chest. He shook it, as if to see if it would come apart under the strain.</p><p>  “How do I stop myself?” he asked weakly.</p><p>  “You’re trapped in the Net World because you won’t let yourself out,” Copy pointed out. “This place is merely a projection of that world—a projection of your mind! All you have to do is believe that this isn’t real, and it will all disappear.”</p><p>  “And you?” Enzan demanded. “Are you not real too, or will you be deleted without an energy source to cling onto?”</p><p>  Copy didn’t answer for a moment. “I’m not Copy Rockman. I have merged completely now.”</p><p>  “I don’t care!” Enzan yelled. “I don’t care if you were still devoted to Watanabe and were trying to kill me. I will not abandon you, you hear me?”</p><p>  “How sweet.”</p><p>  Copy made no move to defend himself as Hikari Enzan jumped him from behind, wrapping an arm around his slim neck.</p><p>  “So sad,” the double sneered. “The once callous net-battler would rather die than watch a piece of mere data be deleted! I shudder to think it was you who created me.”</p><p>  “Who are you?” Enzan demanded. “This time I want the truth.”</p><p>  “I’m your fears, Ijuuin,” his double replied. “I’m those nightmares you never told anyone about. I’m the thoughts you have when your father makes you angry, the ones where you wish he would just die and leave you alone. I’m the realization that no matter how good you are, you’ll never be good enough. It is all that and more that created Hikari Enzan.”</p><p>  “Let Copy go,” Enzan growled.</p><p>  “Or what?” his double shot back. “Even if you take his advice, you’ll never be able to forget me. I’ll always haunt you, in both waking hours and the depths of your nightmares.”</p><p>  “Good,” Enzan hissed. He walked toward his double purposely.</p><p>  “W-What are you doing?” Hikari Enzan demanded. He tightened his hold on Copy’s neck.</p><p>  “I don’t want to forget you. Ever,” Enzan spat. “I don’t want to forget what happens to someone when they give into anger and hate. I don’t want to forget what bitterness and regret could do to me, if I allowed it. I don’t want to forget what it feels like to be feared by someone who loves you at the same time. I’ll never forget you, <em>Hikari Enzan</em>.”</p><p>  Enzan stood a few meters away from his evil counterpart, his double and yet opposite at the same time. He grinned and raised a finger. “And because of that, I will become a better person for it.” He braced his finger against his thumb and aimed it between Hikari Enzan’s eyes. “Goodbye.”</p><p>  He flicked his finger at his double. The image of Hikari Enzan shattered, like a mirror which had been dropped on the ground. Enzan thought he imagined tinkling noises as the pieces bounced off of the floor—then again, he probably had created the noises for that purpose.</p><p>  Copy smiled. “You defeated him.”</p><p>  “Yes,” Enzan admitted. “It wasn’t easy.”</p><p>  “I know,” Copy replied. “You should leave now. If you don’t, you’ll end up dying like Hikari Enzan said. You can’t sustain this world for much longer without him to concentrate on.”</p><p>  “No,” Enzan snapped. “I won’t abandon you. I’m not Watanabe Yuuhi.”</p><p>  “Promise?” Copy whispered.</p><p>  “I promise,” Enzan said softly.</p><p>  Copy wrapped his arms around the net-battler’s waist without another word and held him tightly. In Rockman’s form, he was only a little bit shorter than the human boy he was embracing. Enzan hugged him back, holding back tears.</p><p>  “I promise, I promise,” he repeated, the tears spilling down despite his best efforts. “It’s okay, Copy. You don’t have to suffer anymore.”</p><p>  “Enzan-sama,” Copy whispered, pulling away to look at the boy. “Thank you. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, but you can’t stay here. What about Blues?”</p><p>  “I—Copy, you’re glowing!” Enzan cried out in alarm.</p><p>  “Enzan!” Netto’s voice rang out, causing the boy to whirl in an effort to locate the source. “We’re downloading Copy’s data now!”</p><p>  “Netto!” Enzan replied. “You’re alive!”</p><p>  “Yeah, isn’t that cool?” Netto replied.</p><p>  Enzan couldn’t help but smirk at the cocky tone in the younger net-battler’s voice.</p><p>  “Blues says to tell you to get out as soon as Copy disappears!”</p><p>  “How?” Enzan asked.</p><p>  “Mahajarama will help! See you soon!”</p><p>  “Netto, wait—” Enzan began.</p><p>  “<em>Enzan-sama</em>!”</p><p>  Enzan whirled to see Copy was engulfed in brilliant flecks of light. He was almost painful to look at; he was so bright, and he kept getting brighter.</p><p>  “What? What is it? Does it hurt?” Enzan asked quickly.</p><p>  “I-I’m scared,” Copy replied, his voice shaking. He reached out for Enzan with one hand. “I’m scared, Enzan-sama!”</p><p>  “Don’t be scared,” Enzan said softly. He grabbed the net navi’s hand; it felt warm and tingled underneath his skin. “It will be all right. My friends are going to help you.”</p><p>  “Promise?” Copy asked, his voice quivering.</p><p>  “I promise,” Enzan replied, smiling.</p><p>  Copy smiled back, and opened his mouth to reply. Then, in a flash of light, he was gone, and Enzan was alone in the darkness.</p><p># # #</p><p>
  <em>  Now where am I? </em>
</p><p>  He could see nothing, and when he tried to raise his hand, he found that he could not even feel it.</p><p><em>  Am I dreaming? If this has all been a dream, someone will</em> die.</p><p>  “You aren’t dreaming, young Ijuuin.”</p><p>  “Mahajarama,” Enzan replied. “If I’m not dreaming, then where am I?”</p><p>  “Still in the Net World,” Mahajarama replied. “Still in the depths of your mind.”</p><p>  “How do I get out?” Enzan asked.</p><p>  “That’s the frustrating part, isn’t it? Now that you’ve got here, you have no idea how to leave.”</p><p>   “That’s not helping!” Enzan snapped.</p><p>  Mahajarama chuckled. “I apologize. You’ve been through a lot; I should make this easier for you.”</p><p>  A light appeared in front of Enzan's face; with a start, he realized he could see Mahajarama’s upper body illuminated in front of him. “That’s better,” Mahajarama said.</p><p>  “How do I get out of here?” Enzan demanded.</p><p>  “Close your eyes,” Mahajarama replied. “It’s like escaping from a bad dream. All you have to do is close your eyes, and it all goes away.”</p><p>  That seemed simple enough, until Enzan tried and failed. “I can’t!”</p><p>  “Ah, that comes from the dream philosophy too, I’m afraid,” Mahajarama said. “You can never close your eyes when it counts the most. I’ll help you, this time.” He raised his hands and placed them on Enzan’s face. Enzan could see his dark arms stretching away from his head.</p><p>  “You’ve done a good job, Enzan,” Mahajarama said softly. “If nothing else, be proud of that.” He slid his fingers down Enzan’s face, and Enzan felt his eyes close under the gentle pressure. Then he remembered nothing else.</p><p># # #</p><p>  “That does it,” Beef announced heavily. “The power source is gone. The Net World, or whatever it was, is no more.”</p><p>  “Indeed,” Dr. Hikari muttered underneath his breath, tapping away at his keyboard. “It damaged some files on the way out, I’m afraid. Blues, Rockman, are you two okay?”</p><p>  “I’m okay,” Rockman replied, safe in his PET. “I’m not damaged.”</p><p>  “My data is unharmed,” Blues said. “What about Enzan-sama?”</p><p>  “From what I can tell, this information could put years on our research,” Dr. Hikari said, staring thoughtfully at his screen. “It’s amazing it held up for this long, which such an inadequate power source.”</p><p>  “Papa, what about Enzan?” Netto broke in, plucking at his father’s sleeve. He grabbed his PET with his other hand, gripping its familiar handle with relief.</p><p>  “Just one moment…” Dr. Hikari responded, sounding distracted.</p><p>  “<em>Papa</em>!” Netto and Rockman yelled.</p><p>  “Why don’t you ask him yourself?” Mahajarama asked, moving from his meditative position at last. “He’s been awake for at least a couple of minutes.”</p><p>  “Enzan…” Ijuuin whispered. Before Netto could move, the businessman was at his son’s side, staring down at him with an unreadable expression. For a moment, nothing happened. Netto grabbed Blues’ PET and hovered nearby, staring at his friend with a hopeful expression. The room seemed to be frozen, waiting for something to happen.</p><p>  “Hello, father,” Enzan said softly, opening his eyes. “I’m sorry I’ve been so much trouble.”</p><p>  “Enzan… you’re…” Ijuuin couldn’t finish his sentence.</p><p>  Enzan carefully propped himself up onto his elbows in an attempt to sit up. He was shaky, however, and his body felt weak. Ijuuin grabbed him and pulled him forward, into a sitting position. Enzan found himself staring at the fabric of his father’s shirt as Ijuuin steadied him, and for a moment was nearly overwhelmed by the desire to bury his head into his father’s chest and just cry.</p><p>  The feeling passed, and Ijuuin let go of his son’s shoulders and took a step back. The man’s eyes looked suspiciously wet, and Enzan tried not to notice.</p><p>  “Enzan!  You’re alive!” Netto shouted. He launched himself at Enzan, grabbing the older boy by the neck and nearly choking him in the process.</p><p>  “Gaa! Netto, get off me!” Enzan protested, trying to push the boy away. “Get off, are you crazy?”</p><p>  Netto finally let go and grinned at the older boy. Enzan watched him suspiciously in case he attempted to do it again. “I have something of yours,” Netto announced, holding out the red PET. “I think you want it back.”</p><p>  “Blues…” Enzan grabbed the PET and stared into it anxiously, all other things forgotten. “Blues!”</p><p>  Blues smiled. “Hello, Enzan-sama. Do you feel better now?”</p><p>  “Yes, much better,” Enzan replied, smiling at his navi. “I’m sorry for the way I’ve been treating you.”</p><p>  “Don’t be,” Blues assured him. “You were not yourself.”</p><p>  Ijuuin watched this scene, his expression as hard as stone. Commander Beef watched him, and wondered what emotion truly lay underneath the skin.</p><p>  “I got it!” Dr. Hikari announced joyfully.</p><p>  “Got what?” Saloma asked. She looked over his shoulder and gasped. “What the…”</p><p>  “Enzan, would you please come here?” Dr. Hikari asked, shooting the boy a wide grin. “I have something for you.”</p><p>  Enzan slowly tried to climb off of the table. Netto grabbed him and pulled him off, and half-dragged, half-carried the boy over to scientist’s workstation. Enzan made a mental note to get back at him for it later.</p><p>  “What am I supposed to be looking at?” Enzan asked.</p><p>  Unnoticed in the background, Mahajarama took his leave. Only Miyuki, who had been reading a status report that Skullman had given her, looked up to see him disappear through the doorway, taking his ancient virtual reality gear with him. She smiled, and whispered an unheard thank you.</p><p>  Enzan froze, staring at Dr. Hikari’s screen. “Copy Rockman?” he cried, spotting what had rendered the others speechless.</p><p>  The navi looked itself over carefully. “No… I don’t think so…”</p><p>  He wasn’t, Enzan realized with despair. He was too small to be Rockman, and the coloring of his armor and body suit was turquoise with light green stripes down the sides. His helmet was shaped differently from Rockman; it had two small spikes on each upper side, and small rivets that resembled Blues’ where his hearing receptors were located. Light blue hair spilled out from beneath his helmet, reaching to his shoulders. His eyes were visible through a clear visor, one that was obviously attached to his helmet and could be pushed up manually. The navi did so, demonstrating it as well as moving his arm, revealing a familiar jagged symbol on his chest. The symbol Blues wore.</p><p>  He wasn’t Rockman, but he looked very close.</p><p>  “I think I’m CopyRock,” he said, smiling at the boy. “CopyRock.EXE. I missed you so much, Enzan-sama!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. We Have Come to Terms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  "I don't get it," Hino Ken complained, leaning on the counter while resting his chin in one hand. "Why did Watanabe's navi revert back to its original data?"</p><p>  Saloma, her face hidden behind her Net Agent disguise, swallowed the large amount of curry in her mouth before speaking. "In order for the Net World to access the depths of a person's mind, it needed the ability to invade quickly and do its job without being seen as a threat. A navi's protocol is perfect for such actions, because a computer system recognizes the navi as a piece of its own data and not as a virus. Copy's codes were kept intact, therefore, to have the same effect."</p><p>  She took a second to look around the small curry house. The place was devoid of customers, but it was surprisingly clean, and delicious smells were coming from the cooking area. The food was good too, she noticed as she took another bite. Hino Ken was resting on the employee side of the counter, watching her as she surveyed the room.</p><p>  "And in doing so, anything and everything connected to it in the slightest could not separate from the Net World," Hino Ken mumbled, pondering Saloma's words. "But why was Copy able to be uploaded without a power source sustaining him? The system crashed before then."</p><p>  "We're not sure," Saloma admitted. "It seems although the electrical system was down long before he got out, he was able to independently sustain his data until he could be evacuated from Enzan's mind, the last remnants of the Net World. Dr. Hikari has theories on converting data to organic material, or brain impulses, and back again, but we have no solid evidence of that being the case."</p><p>  "I have a theory," Mahajarama said, appearing behind Saloma. The Net Agent did her best not to jump, but failed.</p><p>  "Oh?" Hino Ken raised an eyebrow.</p><p>  "Copy loved Ijuuin Enzan. The personalities of both Copy Blues and Copy Rockman were combined with his mind. Yuuhi betrayed him and left him for dead." Mahajarama shrugged. "He turned his childlike affection to Enzan, the only other person to treat him with kindness. With those facts in mind, he was able to do what most would consider impossible, just so he could be with Enzan."</p><p>  "And what about Copy Blues?" Hino Ken pressed. "According to what I know, he was an actual copy of the real Blues. Like the other copy navis, he was deleted. How did Copy manage to bring him back?"</p><p>  "We don't know," Saloma said with a sigh. "Enzan said it was because he was a part of the Net World, but from the evidence we gathered he was a copy, right down to the code. Dr. Hikari had a slim theory in which Copy retained the navi's data instead of deleting it, but we have no clue as to why he would do that, and the current version of him, CopyRock.EXE, certainly can't tell us. We do know a data transfer wouldn't explain for the personality of the copy navi to remain intact."</p><p>  "Mahajarama?" Hino Ken turned toward the dark-skinned man.</p><p>  "Like Copy, he too had reasons to stick around," Mahajarama replied. "Love for another is a powerful thing."</p><p>  "It sounds shaky to me," Hino Ken said with a snort, turning back toward Saloma. "And what's this business about Enzan being the Net World again? You went over it three times already, and I still don't get it."</p><p>  "Copy's programming allowed him to use the human imagination—" Saloma started.</p><p>  Hino Ken waved his hand, cutting her off. "I understand that part. What I don't understand is why they used Enzan as originator when Netto was where all their attention was focused."</p><p>  "That's not so hard, once you think about it," Mahajarama said. "Netto was the source of their energy. They needed his emotions to power their machine and their plans. In order to do that, they needed a different person to create the world he was in. Hikari Netto may have been the subject, but Ijuuin Enzan was always the focus of the project. What they failed to realize is that by creating the world, Enzan would be immune to its illusions; at least, the false memories part. Somewhere in his mind he recognized them as being his own creation, and therefore not real."</p><p>  "Once Enzan created it, Copy.EXE's programming allowed him to sustain it easily," Saloma added. "When he needed more data, he just pulled it from Enzan's mind without the boy realizing it. The Net World began to fall apart because Enzan resisted the manipulation, whether he was aware of doing it or not."</p><p>  "And so he couldn't really leave the Net World," Hino Ken said thoughtfully, stroking his goatee. "Because Copy could control the illusions Enzan made so easily, he was able to keep the last server running until Enzan came back to shut down the Net World completely. But from what you tell me, Hikari Enzan wasn't a part of Copy.EXE at all?"</p><p>  "Hikari Enzan represented one of two things," Mahajarama replied. "One was the malice and hate Watanabe programmed into Copy.EXE. That had to go somewhere, even if it was a part of his data, and when Copy tried to purge it he ended up warping the Net World to the corrupted data's designs. Hikari Enzan was not made of the data Copy removed from his program, just influenced by it."</p><p>  "And the other?" Saloma asked, interested. Her studies of the case had not led her this far.</p><p>  "The other was the part of Enzan which created Hikari Enzan to begin with," Mahajarama said. "The memories, personality, and whole being of Hikari Enzan were unused and still in the Net World, the piece of his mind which he left behind. In order to become whole again, he had to defeat the part of himself that he wanted to deny existed. Only by confronting its existence was he able to defeat it."</p><p>  Madoi pushed open the kitchen door and leaned against it, shaking her head. She had been listening to the conversation from behind the door, but had decided to abandon that method. She preferred to be in the middle of a conversation. "That's way too philosophical for me," she complained.</p><p>  "I know," Mahajarama smiled thinly. "However, it's the best description of what took place in the remains of the Net World."</p><p>  "But what about this new navi, CopyRock? He's a mixture of Copy.EXE and the two copies of Blues and Rockman, but the Net World must have damaged his data somehow," Madoi argued. In the corner of her eye she watched with amusement Count Elec curse as he tried to make a new batch of curry.</p><p>  "It did," Saloma admitted. "He can't use his copying ability, yet he still has the mindset of a child. He may never improve; his data is permanently corrupted."</p><p>  "That's sad," Hino Ken said softly. "It's sad that someone would go through so much to get revenge that she would hurt an innocent, even if the innocent is made up of data."</p><p>  "An innocent is still an innocent," Saloma replied.</p><p>  "How did you—Mahajarama?" Hino Ken stared at the spot where the tall, dark-skinned man had been standing. "Curse it, he vanished again!"</p><p>  "Just as well," Saloma said with a sigh. "We've never managed to figure out what happened last in the first Net World venture. Netto and Enzan refuse to say a word about it."</p><p>  "Wait," Madoi muttered, holding up a finger. "Why couldn't the Net World create a disaster for Dr. Hikari to have caused? That was the main reason everything was different, right? So why was it overlooked?"</p><p>  "That part is easy to explain, going by Mahajarama's theory," Hino Ken drawled. "Enzan created the Net World; he knew it wasn't real, yet was fooled by how real it seemed. It only makes sense he would leave himself clues to prove it wasn't real."</p><p>  "What?" Madoi asked, lost after the second "real."</p><p>  "The Net Agents have no explanation for it," Saloma replied. "Sounds good to me—"</p><p>  "Hino Ken, Elec just set his hair on fire," Madoi interrupted, leaving her position at the kitchen door. "Help me put it out. <em>Again</em>."</p><p>  Hino Ken mumbled some very impolite things under his breath and hurriedly followed Madoi into the kitchen. Saloma could hear Elec swearing in English loudly and was glad she wasn't fluent in the language.</p><p>  "What happens next?" Mahajarama asked, slowly pushing the door to the kitchen closed. Saloma stared at him wide-eyed for a moment; the man's ability to appear and disappear at will was astonishing.</p><p>  "The major heads of Immersion are standing trial," she replied. "The rest of the Net Agents are currently testifying in court. It's a pretty solid case, and with Ijuuin's influence, they should stay behind bars for a long time. Life is back to normal for Netto and his friends. Dr. Hikari is as busy as ever with his work and his theories, and the other adults who were in the Net World seem to be adjusting to real life again well. Ijuuin Enzan has a new, demanding navi to look after, but I think after all he's been through, he can handle it."</p><p>  "And Watanabe Yuuhi?" Mahajarama asked.</p><p>  "She committed suicide shortly after being jailed," Saloma said softly. "From her records, it looks like she's been mentally unstable for a long time." She pushed her empty plate away from her and stood up. "Your curry is delicious."</p><p>  "Thank you," Mahajarama said graciously. He watched the Net Agent leave and politely wished her goodbye.</p><p>  "All's well that ends well, then," Hino Ken said, opening the kitchen door and shooting a glowering glance at Mahajarama. "The story ends here."</p><p>  "Ends?" Mahajarama raised an eyebrow. "No story ever ends, Hino Ken. This story will have repercussions far into the future, and will affect many other stories to come. We have just to anticipate the journey."</p><p>  "Well, anticipate it while you help us clean up the mess Elec made," Hino Ken replied.</p><p>  "Don't tell me you doused his hair with my curry," Mahajarama said emotionlessly.</p><p>  "Afraid so. We did it out back. You should have heard his scream." Hino Ken smirked at the memory. "C'mon, we'll have more customers soon."</p><p>  Mahajarama followed Hino Ken through the kitchen door, pausing to look back at the entrance. <em>The next story to come will be interesting indeed…</em></p><p># # #</p><p>  The door in front of his face looked solid and real. The brightness of sun shone full force into his eyes, making them water, and he squinted, trying to shut the light out. He raised his hand, his fingers curled into a fist. He hesitated; why? Why was this so hard for him?</p><p>  "Knock, Enzan-sama."</p><p>  The sternness of the order made him look at his PET in surprise. Turquoise eyes met his gaze evenly.</p><p>  "But…" he protested weakly.</p><p>  "It will only get harder the more you wait," Blues put in.</p><p>  Great, now Blues was ganging up on him. With a sigh, he turned toward the door again, his hand posed to knock.</p><p>  The door flew open, causing him to leap back, startled. Hikari Haruka stood there, staring wide-eyed at him.</p><p>  "<em>Enzan</em>!"</p><p>  The boy only had time to yelp sharply as Haruka dragged him through the door. "Haruk—Hikari-san!" was all Enzan could manage.</p><p>  "I was so worried about you!" Haruka exclaimed, gripping his arms tightly as she looked him over. "You're so pale and thin! Are you eating enough now?" She tsked over his hair. "And your dye is growing out! You'll have to re-dye it soon."</p><p>  Enzan felt his face grow hot. It was one thing for her to fuss over him when she thought he was her son. Now, however, he wasn't sure how to react.</p><p>  "My dear, he's not a pet," the amused Dr. Hikari said as he entered the room. "I'm sure the young Ijuuin is just fine."</p><p>  "But look at him!" Haruka cooed. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "He's just so handsome for his age, isn't he?"</p><p>  Enzan felt his face burn. "Hi-Hikari-san—"</p><p>  "Please call me Haruka," she replied, smiling brightly at him.</p><p>  "<em>Mama</em>!"</p><p>  Netto came bounding down the stairs, giving his mother an exasperated look. "He's here to see <em>me</em>," the young net-battler said pointedly.</p><p>  Haruka sighed and gave Enzan a quick hug before releasing him. "You take care of yourself," she said. "Don't forget to visit sometime soon."</p><p>  Enzan stumbled away, trying to hide his blush, and searched for an appropriate response. Netto saved him from both by grabbing onto his sleeve and yanking him in the direction of the stairway.</p><p>  "Is he more handsome than I am?" Dr. Hikari asked mournfully.</p><p>  Haruka clasped her hands together, playing along. "In my eyes, you're the handsomest man in the world."</p><p>  "Said the prettiest woman around," Dr. Hikari replied, grinning.</p><p>  "Papa!" Netto complained loudly. "Let's get out of here before they do something gross," he said to Enzan.</p><p>  Enzan smirked at the remark and followed Netto up the stairs. "I really like your mother," he commented thoughtfully.</p><p>  Netto made a face, pausing on the stairway. "Ewwwwww!"</p><p>  "Not in <em>that</em> way, Hikari!" Enzan shoved the younger boy away from him as they reached the top of the steps. "Where has your mind been lately? The gutter?"</p><p>  "Well, what do you expect me to think?" Netto replied. "It's not every day I hear my friends talk about my mama."</p><p>  "Whatever," Enzan said. "Just forget I said anything. Let's get this over with."</p><p>  Netto gave him a strange look, but decided not to comment on the last sentence. "Do you have it?" he asked.</p><p>  Enzan showed him a small purple device connected to his PET. Netto smiled at the sight, nodded at the older boy, and opened the door to his room.</p><p>  "It's about time you got back!" Dekao grunted as he heard the sound of the door swing open. He was sitting on the floor fiddling with Netto's battlechip collection, his back to the door. "This is boring!"</p><p>  "Enzan!" Meiru exclaimed with some surprise from her kneeling position on the floor, causing the other three in the room, Yaito, Tohru, and Dekao, to look toward the door. "I never expected to see you here!"</p><p>  Enzan winced a little at the attention he was getting. It reminded him of the way Netto's friends had treated him in the Net World, although now their expressions were curious, not hostile. He looked around the room with some surprise; it was different than it had been in the Net World.</p><p>  <em>Of course it would be</em>, he told himself. <em>The room I had in the Net World came from my imagination of what Netto's room looked like, not the actual thing.</em> The house had differed in appearance too, but not by much.</p><p>  "I invited him," Netto explained. "He was given a few days off to fully recover, so I figured I might as well."</p><p>  "And you agreed?" Yaito asked Enzan with some surprise. She was sitting on the only chair in the room, her PET held tightly in her hands.</p><p>  "I'm not a complete ass," Enzan responded, almost smirking as Yaito's eyes grew wider at the comment. He knew she was wondering how he had known his status as an ‘ass’ was how the group defined him. It hadn't been hard to reach that conclusion, even without the Net World beating him over the head with it. "Besides, Netto wanted me to show you guys something."</p><p>  Yaito's eyes couldn't grow any wider, but she noted carefully the name Enzan had chosen to call the brown-haired boy. She wasn't the only one; Meiru discreetly made a note of it as well, while Dekao and Tohru openly gaped at Enzan.</p><p>  "Well, what are you waiting for?" Netto asked impatiently after a few moments of silence. "Plug him in already! Everyone else is already in Internet City."</p><p>  "And wondering why," Tohru pointed out. He was stretched out on Netto's bed, a magazine in one hand and his PET in the other.</p><p>  "You'll see," Netto said, grinning; he sat down on the floor and scooped up his PET from the desk, motioning for Enzan to sit next to him.</p><p>  Enzan glanced at his PET. "Ready for this, Blues?"</p><p>  "By now, I'm ready for anything, Enzan-sama."</p><p>  "Here we go then," Enzan replied, plugging him in. "Transmission!"</p><p># # #</p><p>  CopyRock, or just Copy for short, Enzan had decided after a few weeks, was too cute for his own good. His short stature, strange mixture of Blues and Rockman's frame designs, and bubbly personality made him seem like a little kid most of the time. He seemed almost deliriously happy with his new home, and never got tired of bouncing off anything he could find. At first, he had shared Blues' PET, but Enzan had worried about Blues' sanity if he spent too much time with the hyperactive navi. Copy tended to have the effect of wearing down mental stability on people, and Blues' low tolerance for foolishness made the two navis a bad combination.</p><p>  To solve that problem, Enzan had commandeered a new PET and transferred Copy's data to it. However, this created a new problem. Copy hated being out of Enzan's sight, but Enzan didn't find it practical to carry around two PETs. The first time he left Copy at home to go somewhere, the servants had informed him the navi had cried uncontrollably for hours. The news had made Enzan feel terrible, and even Blues, who had never made an effort to acknowledge the small navi, seemed to feel sorry for Copy.</p><p>  After that, Enzan finally broke down and asked Hikari Yuuichirou for help. Dr. Hikari had immediately designed a small device which would contain Copy's data. It could be directly connected to Enzan's PET through the chip slot so he could deal with both Blues and Copy at the same time, or it could act as its own little world for Copy, complete with a screen similar to the PET so Enzan could keep an eye on the navi. If Blues ever got tired of Copy, he was able to shove the smaller navi out of the PET and into Copy's PI, or Portable Interface, as Dr. Hikari had called it.</p><p>  Surprisingly enough, Blues was very tolerant of Copy. He listened to the navi's chattering without complaint, and answered Copy's questions—most of the time. He usually allowed the smaller navi to play with his hair or hang on his limbs, although Enzan sometimes saw Blues shove Copy off. While Blues treated Copy with an indifferent tolerance, Copy completely adored Blues and called him <em>oniichan</em>, older brother. The small navi could usually take the hint when Blues got really annoyed, but he never took it personally.</p><p>  He had received the call from Netto earlier in the week. The boy claimed he wanted to show off CopyRock to his friends in order to explain how the whole NetWorld saga had ended. He had also hinted Hikari Haruka had wanted to see Enzan again. That had been all to the phone call, but Enzan thought he had sensed something else in the younger boy's voice. It made him curious, and he decided to accept Netto's invitation. He too wanted to see Haruka again, and he had a feeling the trip would not be without some benefit.</p><p>  Copy had been thrilled. His mental capacity was still in question, for he spoke and acted like a child, but he still retained Copy Rockman and Copy Blues' memory. Enzan suspected the personalities of the copy navis were buried somewhere in Copy's program, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask. Maybe then he would be able to speak with Copy Rockman again. In the meantime, Copy was just Copy, and he tried very hard to please his master. Enzan could not hold anything against the happy little navi, no matter how hard he tried.</p><p>  In preparation for the trip, Enzan rescheduled meetings and worked overtime to complete a project. Blues had enough on his hands with trying to calm Copy down. Enzan made sure he had properly equipped Blues to deal with the small navi once inside Internet City. Now he sat crossed-legged, watching the large computer screen which displayed Internet City. This was going to be very interesting.</p><p># # #</p><p>  "Is he here?" Rockman asked, searching the park carefully.</p><p>  "I don't know," Roll replied, covering her mouth with a fist. The other was tightly wound around Rockman's arm, where it had been ever since they arrived in Internet City.</p><p>  "I don't see him," Glyde admitted. "But the view is quite lovely."</p><p>  The park in Internet City resembled a real park, with simulated trees and grass. There were a few groups of navis wandering around; a few of the smaller ones were playing on a playset in the middle of the park.</p><p>  "There he is, guts!" Gutsman said, pointing. The others followed his gaze to see the tall navi staring at the playset, a frown on his face. His silver hair flowed gently around him in the wind, also simulated by Internet City, but the navi took no notice.</p><p>  "Sheesh, can't he ever smile?" Iceman wondered softly. "This isn't a net-battle."</p><p>  "I would be very scared if I saw Blues smile," Gutsman said. After a moment's pause, he added, "Guts."</p><p>  "Hush, you guys, he'll hear you," Rockman chastised. "<em>Oi</em>! Blues! We're over here!"</p><p>  Blues uncrossed his arms and made his way toward them. Rockman noted with curiosity the strange device in the taller navi's hand.</p><p>  "What is that?" Roll asked, pointing at the device as the navi stopped in front of the group.</p><p>  Blues spared it a glance. "This? It's a leash."</p><p>  The group of navis was silent for a long moment.</p><p>  "A leash?" Rockman repeated.</p><p>  Blues raised the device and clicked a button. A beam of light shot out from one end and solidified into a thin rope. "A leash," he repeated, pressing another button. The rope began to retract into the device rapidly. The other navis watched as if entranced.</p><p>  Iceman, who was on the outer edge of the group, heard a thumping noise coming from behind him and glanced over his shoulder.</p><p>  "Incoming!" he cried, diving to the side. Gutsman and Rockman were not so fortunate, and were knocked off their feet by a small object jetting past. This caused Gutsman to land on Iceman, and Rockman to knock over Glyde. Roll, the only one to escape unscratched, watched with a mixture of horror and amusement.</p><p>  No one noticed the small, turquoise navi scramble to his feet and make faces at Blues. The navi had a thick data rope around his waist, and with a press of another button, Blues released it from the smaller navi and retracted it back into the device.</p><p>  "Leashes come in handy," Blues commented over the confusion.</p><p>  Roll finally turned to face the red navi. She froze upon spotting the source of the mess, and stared for a moment.</p><p>  Rockman rubbed his side as he helped Glyde up with one hand. He too spotted the navi and frowned. "What is <em>that</em>?"</p><p>  "They’re so cute!" Roll shrieked. She scooped the small navi up into her arms and began fussing over it.</p><p>  "Roll-chan, maybe you should ask his… their permission first?" Glyde said hesitantly.</p><p>  "His name is CopyRock," Blues said calmly. "And I'm sure he doesn't mind."</p><p>  CopyRock didn't look like he minded at all; he was grinning from ear to ear and jabbering excitedly. Roll couldn't understand a word of what he was saying, but she cooed and fussed over him anyway.</p><p># # #</p><p>  "What the hell is that?" Dekao roared, pointing at the green navi in Roll's arms.</p><p>  "That's CopyRock.EXE," Enzan replied calmly. "Or Copy for short. He's what Dr. Hikari managed to salvage out of Copy Rockman, Copy Blues, and Copy.EXE."</p><p>  "Watanabe's navi?" Meiru repeated, frowning.</p><p>  "He's got the mentality of a six-year-old," Enzan replied. "He barely recalls the Net World, nor is he dangerous. He isn't programmed for net-battling."</p><p>  "Then what is he programmed to do?" Tohru asked, interested.</p><p>  Enzan shrugged. "To annoy people?"</p><p>  Netto snickered, covering his mouth with one hand. He could easily see how CopyRock could become annoying.</p><p>  "He is a really cute navi," Yaito said, jabbing Netto with her elbow.</p><p>  "Yes," Enzan said dryly. "He's extremely aware of that fact. He uses it to his advantage every day."</p><p>  "I thought he had the mentality of a six-year-old," Tohru said, confused.</p><p>  "You'd be amazed at what a six-year-old knows," Enzan replied, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>  "Yeah, I could already speak two languages at six!" Yaito exclaimed.</p><p>  "Not all of us are geniuses," Tohru replied, scoffing.</p><p>  Enzan listened to the conversation uncomfortably; he wasn't used to being in such an atmosphere. He wondered if he ever would be used to it. Netto listened with a grin; he was used to it, and he was usually the one who started the conversation. Today, however, he seemed content to just listen. That was unusual for him; he had been doing a lot of things which were unusual for him lately. Enzan couldn't help wondering why.</p><p>  "Copy, why don't you introduce yourself properly instead of begging for attention," he said, turning his attention back toward Internet City.</p><p># # #</p><p>  "Yes, Enzan-sama," Copy replied, climbing down from Roll's embrace. Once on the ground, he grinned impishly at the group; standing straight, he was almost a head shorter than Rockman and had the same build. "<em>Boku wa CopiiRokku da</em>," he said, bowing.</p><p>  "<em>Desu</em>," Blues corrected.</p><p>  "<em>Desu</em>," Copy repeated sheepishly. "Nice to meet you." He stared at them, his eyes growing larger by the minute, and then hid behind Blues' leg.</p><p>  "<em>Oniichan</em>, <em>oniichan</em>," Copy chanted, pulling on the taller navi's hair. "Issat Rockman?"</p><p>  Blues swatted at the offending hand and pulled Copy out in front of him. "Yes," he replied shortly.</p><p>  Copy stuck a finger in his mouth and chewed on it, the behavior causing both his operator and Blues to shake their heads. He then walked up to Rockman and stuck out a hand. "Shake," he said solemnly.</p><p>  Rockman took the hand gingerly, making sure it wasn't the hand the small navi had been chewing on a moment ago. Copy yanked downward once he had a good grip, pulling the surprised Rockman down to his level.</p><p>  "Copy Blues says hi," he whispered, the words heard by Rockman alone. Then he released taller navi and ran back to Roll, chanting, "Roll-chan! Roll-chan! Play with me!"</p><p>  The other navis had watched this happen in puzzlement, but Copy soon began running circles around them; quite literally. His enthusiasm was infectious; soon Gutsman was letting him swing back and forth on his arm and Iceman was making ice cubes shaped like various animals for him. Glyde refrained from participating, though he watched with a smile, and Roll would occasionally exclaim over Copy's cuteness and embrace the navi again.</p><p>  "He seems quite the handful," Rockman commented, walking up to Blues. Like Glyde, he chose to watch the navi, and managed to escape unnoticed so far. "I don't envy you."</p><p>  "Hm," Blues snorted. "He is that."</p><p>  "Does he…?" Rockman let the question dangle.</p><p>  "You mean, does he still have the personalities of Copy Blues and Copy Rockman within him?" Blues replied softly.</p><p>  "Yeah," Rockman said. "He told me…" The navi trailed off again. A number of emotions had run through him at Copy's words, and he was still struggling to pin them down.</p><p>  "We can't be sure yet who he is," Blues replied, watching Copy jump up and down with glee as Gutsman made faces at the small navi. "His programming is a jumbled mess, according to Dr. Hikari. He can't risk disturbing any of it, because it's too complex and interconnected. If he did something wrong, Copy may be deleted. Yet despite his programming, he can still function, and it doesn't seem to inhibit his abilities, limited those are at the moment."</p><p>  "He is pretty cute," Rockman said, giving Blues a side glance.</p><p>  "He has his charms," Blues responded. "I'm learning to deal with his vices."</p><p>  "I bet we all will after he's exhausted us and still bouncing off the walls," Rockman muttered, eyeing the childish navi thoughtfully.</p><p>  "Yes, he does that too," Blues said.</p><p>"Will he get any better?" Rockman asked. "Will he ever be able to straighten his programming out on his own?"</p><p>  "Enzan-sama thinks so," Blues replied. "I hope, for all our sakes, that he does. Right now, though, he's just fine as he is."</p><p># # #</p><p>  "Does he ever stop?" Meiru wondered, watching the turquoise navi with wide eyes.</p><p>  "If he does, I have yet to see it," Enzan replied. "Fortunately he's pretty good at amusing himself. He's just a little excited right now."</p><p>  "A <em>little</em>?" Tohru exclaimed.</p><p>  "Hey, Netto, when are you going to get us some snacks?" Dekao demanded. The energetic navi had bored him already, and he had gone back to shifting through Netto's chip collection.</p><p>  "You could get your own snacks for once, Dekao," Netto replied, but he got up from his spot on the floor. "Enzan, can you help me with them?"</p><p>  Enzan opened his mouth to protest, but he saw the serious look in Netto's eyes. "All right," he said instead.</p><p>  The trip downstairs was a silent one, as was the brief walk to the kitchen. Dr. Hikari and his wife were nowhere in sight, although two trays of snacks were awaiting them on the table.</p><p>  <em>Haruka really is the perfect mother</em>, Enzan thought.</p><p>  "My parents went for a walk," Netto said, answering the anticipated question. "They don't often get time to themselves."</p><p>  Enzan looked at him for a moment. Netto was staring out a window, refusing to look back. "What is it?" Enzan asked quietly.</p><p>  Netto did not respond for a moment. "Blues sent me an e-mail last week," he said. "Did you know that?"</p><p>  "No, I didn't," Enzan replied, surprised. It was unlike Blues to do anything of that sort without informing him.</p><p>  "He apologized for not saving Copy Blues," Netto continued softly. "And he said he was sorry I had to suffer such pain."</p><p>  Enzan was struck speechless. He wondered what had prompted Blues to do such a thing; the red-toned navi rarely regretted his decisions, much less apologized for them.</p><p>  <em>Was it the pain in my eyes he saw?</em> Enzan wondered. <em>Or something else to make him think of Netto?</em></p><p>  Netto made a choked off sound, grabbing the older boy's attention again. He turned toward Enzan, tears in his eyes. "Papa said CopyRock still retains Copy Blues' data, although he may never recover them." He stopped, too choked up to continue.</p><p>  "I miss him," he whispered. "I have my old life back, my parents and Rockman, and nothing can take that from me for the world, but I still… miss him."</p><p>  "I know," Enzan said sadly. He sat down on a chair, folded his arms on the table, and rested his head on them. "CopyRock tries, but he is more of Watanabe's original navi than anything else. I know he has the data within him, somewhere. But… he's afraid. I know he's afraid to try and access it. He's been hurt so badly over the years… I can't make him do it, Netto. I can't make him go through that."</p><p>  "Do you think they know?" Netto asked. "Do you think they're aware?"</p><p>  "I think they're aware," Enzan replied. "I think they know what's going on." He took a deep breath. "And I know if we were in danger, they would try to help. Right now, all Copy needs is time. According to your father, he's probably going to have the mindset of a child forever. I don't believe that. It can't be easy to have three personalities in one mind, and I won't ask Copy to do that. However, I think the solution is something he'll come to on his own."</p><p>  "He's very smart," Netto agreed. "I saw it in his eyes. I just wish… one day I would like to speak with Copy Blues again, to have him scold me, like Rockman does, or laugh at me when I get too full of myself. I still can't believe it may never happen."</p><p>  "It will," Enzan said confidently, standing up. "I know it will. I won't accept the fact that I'll never see Copy Rockman smiling at me again, although I couldn't be happier being reunited with Blues. One day I will." He shrugged. "You just have to believe it."</p><p>  Netto looked at him for a long moment. "Thank you, Enzan. That helped." He grabbed a tray and headed for the stairs. "Better go before Dekao starts bellowing."</p><p>  "Netto," Enzan said, stopping the younger boy in his tracks. "You've changed," he said quietly. "You've changed for the better, I think."</p><p>  Netto looked back at him and grinned, all signs of his previous sadness gone. "So have you," he replied.</p><p>  Enzan smirked. Whatever happened next in his life, he could handle it with Blues and CopyRock at his side. Picking up the tray, he followed Netto up the stairs and back into the real world.</p><p>
  <em>  I’ve changed top, and for the better.</em>
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  <strong>END</strong>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>  Edited Notes: The correction Blues makes to Copy’s Japanese is from using plain form to polite form. Children often use plain form. Also to reflect Copy’s child-like nature, he uses the childish "oniichan" instead of "oniisan".</p><p>  This story is the direct result of very odd thoughts and dreams late at night, one question in particular. If something doesn't exist yet thinks it does, what right do you have to tell it otherwise? It made me think about life, reality, and what is real and what is not. Somehow that thought process led to this fic, especially the conversation in Chapter 21 between Yuuichirou and Enzan.</p><p>  At the time, I pulled the idea of Copy Rock from Hitoshi Ariga's manga, though since then it’s been explored elsewhere, such as the Archie comics (I am not sure if the concept ever came up in EXE itself). The Net World was inspired mostly by the concepts in Vivian Vande Velde's fantastic book User Unfriendly, some themes used by Spider-Man bad guy Mysterio, and many 4th Doctor Doctor Who episodes.</p><p>  This story did not end on a happy, cheerful note, which surprised me because that's what I was aiming for, but I'm satisfied with the end just the same. It's hopeful that Copy will once again be able to resurrect the personalities of Copy Rockman and Copy Blues, and it shows that even when life returns to normal, Enzan and Netto will never be the same.</p><p>  Thank Yous: Some of the people on this list I’ve lost touch with, some have changed their names, and some are still out there. I could’ve never done this without you. Thanks to Marisa, Tsa, Toby, Izumi, Malik, Catalyst, Rioni, Nivi, and Cool Fire Bird for all being there when I was originally writing it. Thanks to Ryouko.EXE for maintaining REO throughout all these years, and helping me get back the original fic.</p><p>  Thanks to BlackRussian especially! Had I not gotten bored during quarantine and decided to give fanfiction a try again after a decade, I would’ve never have realized there were people out there who still liked what I wrote ages ago and would like to read them again. Thanks to ChronicDelusionist, Izzy, Tia, and Live for putting up with me on Discord.</p><p>  And last, Agent White, you were never into my obsessions, but you lovingly tolerated them. I’ll always be your Agent Black.</p>
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